Colts’ second year running back is coming off an impressive practice on Wednesday that has his stock “on the rise,” as Horseshoe Huddle’s Jake Arthur put it in his post-practice recap.
Arthur noted that on Wednesday, Hull made a “couple of big runs” that were much celebrated by his offensive teammates, including Anthony Richardson, who went “yelling and running down the field after him.”
Hull would miss just about all of his rookie year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 1.
He is currently competing for the backup running back role behind Jonathan Taylor–although early signs, according to James Boyd of The Athletic, point to Trey Sermon having a firm grasp on that competition.
However, even if Hull doesn’t end up as the second running back, there still could be an opportunity for him to carve out a niche role in the offense because of his ability to impact the passing game.
Hull, a 2023 fifth-round pick by the Colts, came to the NFL with ample experience as a pass-catcher and pass-blocker.
Over his final two years at Northwestern, Hull was targeted 108 times, catching 80 percent of those passes while averaging an impressive 9.0 yards per catch with four touchdowns. In fact, in 2023 specifically, he led all running backs in receiving yards.
Now, don’t be mistaken, Taylor will, of course, be the featured back, and if Sermon ends up as the backup, he’ll see his share of playing time as well. So it’s not as if there will be a ton of snaps left over for Hull.
But on third downs, or other obvious passing situations, or if the game-plan calls for a more heavy running back presence in the passing game, there could be the opportunity for him to see the field.
In the grand scheme of training camp, we are still very early on in the process, and ultimately how Hull performs in the joint practices and preseason games will carry a lot of weight in how the coaching staff evaluates where he’s at.
Realistically, after missing his rookie season with an injury, there are still going to be some growing pains as a relatively inexperienced player, but he’s showcasing the playmaking potential he brings with the ball in his hands.
The next step for Hull, like any young player, will be continuing to bring that consistency each day and get incrementally better with each practice.