When the Lions drafted 
His size was undeniable at 6-4, 329 pounds … the only question was whether his skill would be refined enough to play at the NFL level this year. Coming from a small school, Hill had simply been overpowering at the collegiate level. Now, he would be facing offensive linemen that had the potential to equal him in both size and strength.
“The first couple of snaps were way faster than what I’m used to,” said Hill of starting against Atlanta Week 1 of the preseason. “Just getting thrown right into the fire, you can’t go out there not ready. If you do, something’s going to happen to you that you don’t want happening to you.
“A couple plays I felt that way. I had to redeem myself a little bit, but it was an experience and I’m glad I got it early so I know what to do now.”
Hill got better through each preseason game. The Lions’ coaches weren’t taking their time with him; they challenged him right out of the gate.
“Going through the preseason, he had some okay plays in the first three games but in Buffalo he really showed what he can be,” said Defensive Coordinator Gunther Cunningham. “He had six or seven plays where I just sat back and said, ‘We picked the right guy.’”
THROWING HIM INTO THE FIRE
Cunningham says he saw Hill’s toughness from the get-go.
The rookie was in the building every day that he could be for the offseason conditioning program and worked hard every day throughout camp. That work ethic coupled with Hill’s physical potential pushed the coaching staff to practice him with the veterans right away.
“I know it built his confidence to be around those guys,” said Cunningham. “Sometimes you put a rookie in with a lot of other rookies, especially free agents that may not be here, and then he’s fighting for his life on every snap. But being out there with a lot of the older guys that had been in the league really helped him.”
Hill has reached out to every defensive tackle on the roster at one point or another, from the veterans on down to the second-year pros.
Defensive end
“I befriended them,” said Hill of Darby and other vets. “I know sometimes you shouldn’t do that, but there were a lot of older guys that taught me a lot of stuff out here. I don’t want to say that it’s because of me that some other guys aren’t here. They worked hard just like I worked hard every day, and they put in hard work – it’s a job.”
SHOWING HIS POTENTIAL
While Hill’s performance throughout training camp and the preseason may not have impacted the final 53, it certainly did impact his place on the depth chart.
He is currently listed as the starter on the team’s unofficial depth chart, showing that he made huge strides throughout the four games he experienced this past month.
“He had a slow start,” said Cunningham. “We always knew he was a really good athlete and obviously he’s big and strong and played at a small school so it took time. The good thing about him is he’s not star struck. He just comes out and works everyday which tells you that the improvement is there.
“But seeing the Buffalo game really made me believe we picked the right guy and that he’s going to have a real good season. Now, with that being said, it’ll still take the first five or six games for him to get in the regular rhythm of having that confidence that he needs to have.”
Still, Cunningham says Hill is flat-out overpowering. Even if his technique isn’t good, he has the ability to take on the opponent with such force that the technique doesn’t even matter.
“If you watch the tape (of the Buffalo game) he just dominated their guards,” said Cunningham. “They tried to block him one on one – he overpowered most of them and made a lot of good plays. Got some success on the pass rush as well, which I was really happy to see because I knew he was strong enough to play the run.
“You could really see what he could do. He did everything well. He had good balance. He exploded into the blockers and physically overpowered them and that’s what he can do. I just can’t wait until he really grows up.”
