Report: Lavert Hill picked up as undrafted free agent

The Wolverines three-year starting cornerback wasn’t picked in the 2020 NFL Draft, but apparently signed with the reigning Super Bowl winner

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It’s somewhat shocking, that Lavert Hill went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The lockdown corner who is used to playing on an island was seen as a day two pick if he had left early in 2019, however, he stayed locked into the Wolverines, and it cost him.

Despite having no fall off in play, the Detroit-native who showed not only a penchant for big play ability but also that teams pay if they throw the ball at him, Hill didn’t just fell to day three in the draft, no team with one of 255 picks selected him.

But he’s getting some redemption, with Yahoo’s Terez Paylor reporting that the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are signing the standout corner as an undrafted free agent.

There, he’ll rejoin teammate Mike Danna, the Chiefs’ fifth-round selection, as well as former Wolverine Frank Clark.

Though Michigan fans saw a corner who let next to nothing up in his three years as a starter, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein saw both positives and negatives:

Overview

Undersized press corner with good instincts, ball skills and coverage strength, but a concerning lack of long speed. Hill’s body control and short area quickness put him in position to make plays on the football, but when forced to cover downfield, he begins to grab and pull to prevent big plays against him. He’s too small to stay outside but his strength could help balance out average suddenness against shifty slots. The discipline and awareness are present to play short zone, but run support might be an issue if teams come at him from 11 personnel. Projecting a successful move inside is challenging so he gets a backup “prove it” grade until the challenge is met.

Strengths

  • In-your-face press technique
  • Consistent ball production as a starter
  • Eyes wide open to route combos developing around him
  • Patient and poised in press and catch-man techniques
  • Fluid change of direction when trailing routes
  • Quick recovery when shaken by press
  • Reads receivers to turn and find football downfield
  • Drifts into opponent to suffocate catch space downfield
  • Excellent body control in his movements
  • Above average feel to make his way into passing lanes
  • Uses well-timed slaps to knock the ball away

Weaknesses

  • Undersized as outside corner
  • Missing classic lateral agility and burst as NFL nickel
  • Rides high when phasing routes and overruns comebacks
  • Loses ground carrying vertical speed
  • Excessive downfield grabbing is an issue
  • Could struggle to manage certain slot matchups
  • Blockers and bad angles erase him in run support

Sources Tell Us

“He’s too small and can’t run. I like the ball skills but the physical makeup falls below our standards.” — Personnel director for NFC team

We’re not so sure we’re buying the physical limitations. At 5-foot-10, he’s plenty big enough to play corner in the NFL, though the league is trending bigger with its defensive backs. But, since Hill didn’t run at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, and Michigan’s Pro Day was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, he didn’t have an opportunity to prove himself.
Regardless, it’s difficult to understand why no teams took a chance on Hill. He is fast and athletic, and such a lockdown corner that teams often refrained from throwing at him. The only real knock on his game is that he often gets called for pass interference — but that’s sometimes a product of playing in press-man coverage.
Should this hold, it’s a solid signing by Kansas City, and Hill will have a great opportunity to do like some of his predecessors — such as Brandon Watson with the Jaguars — have, by exceeding expectations and making the 53-man roster.