Dax Hill reveals skillet as a defensive back, how he landed on defense

Bengals’ first round NFL Draft pick Daxton Hill is a Michigan alum that’s ready to strap up and do whatever his coaches need as a rookie. Though he played safety in college and was drafted as one by Cincinnati, Hill claims his versatility and ability to play several positions could be what gets him on the field this upcoming season.

“Whatever the coaches me to do, that’s what I’m doing,” Hill said in reference to his positional versatility. The former Wolverine has playing experience on both sides of the ball and at several different positions.

In high school, Hill played a lot of receiver before trying out some safety as an upperclassmen. “They kinda threw me at safety,” Hill remembered. “It just stuck from there.” He stuck there because he was exceptional there. Even without playing safety his entire high school career, Hill rocketed up recruiting rankings in the 2019 class.

By the end of his senior season, Hill was a consensus five-star prospect per the On3 consensus. The eighth-ranked overall player and no. 1 safety too.

With several years of playing safety under his belt, Hill has learned to love the position. He enjoys that defensive backs can “make plays without the ball” in their hands. Plus, he’s studied several of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the NFL to help hone his own craft. Hill mentioned guys like Jamal Adams, Tyrann Mathieu and Jalen Ramsey as example-setters for him.

All three of those guys are capable at lining up virtually anywhere within the defense. Whether that’s as a deep safety, nickel back or even rushing the passer on blitzes. Dax Hill believes he can be the next versatile star among defensive backs.

Hill wants to buy in to Bengals unselfish mindset, establish chemistry off the field

“I don’t wanna be selfish,” said Hill during his entrance interview following the draft. He’s willing to play any position in the defensive backfield. Perhaps even outside corner back, a position he never played in college. If that’s what the team needs him to do, he’ll do it.

Hill believes that the current Bengals team adopted the type of unselfish mindset he wants to bring to the table over the last year during their Super Bowl run. That unselfishness was “something that’s vital to the team,” Hill noticed of the Bengals 2021-22 group.

He also knows that developing a bond off the field is important to maintaining chemistry while on it. According to Hill, you want to “be close with your teammates outside of football” in order to be better connected during the games. And he should get along with his new teammates just fine. “I’m a personable guy — easy guy to get along with,” claims Hill. Even if he’ll rub Michigan’s 42-27 win over Ohio State last fall in the face of former Buckeyes Sam Hubbard and Vonn Bell.