Falcons third-year running back Brian Hill entered the 2019 offseason just hoping to build off the playing time he received at the end of last season.
The Falcons are deep at running back. Behind Devonta Freeman, three guys are vying for playing time, with Hill, Ito Smith, Kenjon Barner and rookie Qadree Ollison in the mix. But it’s Hill, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and played his final collegiate games at Wyoming with a fractured wrist, who’s caught the eye of many the past two weeks. According to coach Dan Quinn and players, he’s stood out not only because of his approach to practice, but also because of how he’s developed complementing skills.
“I just wanted to come into OTAs and training camp and not take a step back from where I was last year,” Hill said Tuesday of his mindset heading into the offseason. “I’ve been grinding, and I’ve gotta keep it up.”
On Thursday in the Hall of Fame game against the Denver Broncos, Hill, who finished last season with 20 rushes for 157 yards, scored the team’s only touchdown on a 1-yard pass from quarterback Kurt Benkert. Catching the ball out of the backfield is something Hill said he’s been working on.
He’s caught balls from the “jugs” —the throwing machine that shoots out footballs — every day this offseason. Even before practice Tuesday, he said he took some time to get his catches in.
“I know that’s not something you can just have, wake up in the morning and get out of the bed and be able to catch,” Hill said. “(If) you want to be able to do it, you’ve got to put the work in.”
It wasn’t just catching that he wanted to improve on. Hill said another focus this offseason was working on upper-body strength to help in pass-protection situations. Between OTAs and training camp, Hill went to Stacks Sports Performance and Therapy in Atlanta and trained with Aaron “E.J.” Webb, the sports-performance director, four days a week.
He stuck to the program and schedule and thanked Webb for pushing him, and recalls jokingly telling him, “I’m paying you to kill me!”
When he was asked about younger players who stood out at the end of training camp, Quinn mentioned Hill, who is preparing for his third season with the Falcons after they drafted him in 2017. He explained that Hill and Freeman are the best of the running backs at finishing plays, specifically, continuing to run through the line and not letting up before the play is called dead.
That approach allows for defensive players and others on the field to react, Quinn said. In a sense, it trains them all to continue pursuing the play, an asset that the head coach thinks will benefit his team come game time.
“His finishing mindset,” Quinn said. “Even if the play could get jammed up (within) two yards or four yards. The finish continues 20, 30, 40 yards down the field. Those are the things that kind of speak to him as a finisher.”
Receiver Julio Jones, who isn’t a full participant in practice but watches the scrimmages from the sideline, noticed it, too. Jones — and Hill — declined to give away any training secret that has allowed him to become so valuable in camp. But Jones is appreciative of what he’s brought to the team thus far.
“He’s had a hell of a camp for us so far, just the way he finishes,” Jones said. “The way he comes to practice, he’s making everybody better.”
Hill explained that it’s never a bad thing if Jones compliments him, but he’s determined to continue to get better. After going into the offseason not wanting to take a step back, the last thing he wants to do is be complacent.
“I’ve got to keep it going. I can’t rest on my laurels,” Hill said.
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