In the 2026 NFL Draft, the first Texas Longhorns player picked come off the board in the second round when linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was selected with the No. 60 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans on Friday.
To draft Hill, the Titans sent a fifth-round selection to the Chicago Bears in addition to the team’s No. 69 overall pick, making a value pick of the linebacker with the second-best athleticism score in the draft class that
made Hill’s slide all the more surprising when combined with his collegiate production.
Hill arrived on the Forty Acres with lofty expectations and the eyes of the burnt orange nation on him already. Not only was Hill a longtime top target for the Longhorns during his career at Denton Ryan that included a 5A Division 1 state championship in 2020 as a sophomore and a consensus five-star prospect ranked as the No. 18 player overall and the No. 2 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite rankings, Hill spurned the rival Aggies with a November decommitment from Texas A&M and a December commitment to Texas prior to Early Signing Day.
A member of the 2023 recruiting class, Hill was one of the biggest signees early in the Steve Sarkisian era.
And from his first moment on campus, Hill made plays. As a true freshman, Hill played early as an edge before moving into a larger role at linebacker as the season went along, tallying 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks along with two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
While Longhorn fans may have been excited to land one of the premier in state recruits, especially after his commitment to Texas A&M, Hill’s instant impact still exceeded even the loftiest expectations.
Although snubbed for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, Hill was a consensus Freshman All-American and the C0-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. His five sacks are tied for the fourth-most by a Longhorn freshman and are the third-most by a Texas true freshman while the eight tackles for loss equaled the eighth-most for a UT freshman and sixth-most for a true freshman.
As the Longhorns prepared for the Peach Bowl in 2024, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski recalled his initial evaluation of Hill.
“I joked with him last year during the offseason: You’re a hell of a football player, but you’re not a very good linebacker,” Kiwatkowski said. “It was a compliment because he has a nose for the ball. He makes plays. But the details of playing linebacker, he can get better at, and he has.”
With his stock soaring and Hill working hard to become a more complete linebacker, he fully made the transition from edge to linebacker and continued to dominate opposing offenses, recording 113 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. For his outstanding play, Hill earned First-Team All-American honors and became a focal point in SEC offensive game-planning.
His transition from pass rusher to three-down linebacker while increasing production and disruption was truly remarkable.
In his final season on the Forty Acres, Hill continued to impact games in multiple ways. He notched 69 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions despite missing time for a broken hand.
He was once again recognized by coaches and members of the media, accruing a Second-Team All American nod, Butkus Award finalist, Chuck Badnarik Award semifinalist, and All-SEC Second Team selection.
In February, Hill participated in the NFL Combine, cementing himself as one of the premier defenders in this year’s draft. Measuring at 6’2, 238 pounds while running a 4.51 40 with a 1.58 10-yard split, Hill possesses the right combination of size, speed, and strength to play in the NFL.
His 21 reps on bench press, a 37-inch vertical, and 10’5 broad jump only confirmed the freak athleticism that is present on tape.
Hill’s ability to disrupt the game as a pass rusher, gap filler, turnover creator, and tackling machine make him a special prospect. The transition to the NFL as a three-down linebacker isn’t hard to picture. He’s got great instincts, sound technique, and an even keeled center of gravity that allows him to make plays while engaged with blockers.
NFL coaches will also be impressed by his speed. Hill’s lateral quickness allowed him to make plays from sideline to sideline throughout college while his burst resulted in quick firing into gaps and creating disruption behind the line of scrimmage.
Lastly, Hill’s knack for the big play is evident. Whether it’s a third-down or goal-line situation, Hill is in the mix. He creates stops in big moments and forces turnovers repeatedly.
As he transitions to the next level, Hill will need to limit the cutback lanes that he allows and consistently maintain a low pad level, two areas that can be refined under an NFL coaching staff.
