After one preseason game, Green Bay Packers rookie Kylin Hill looks like the clear favorite to win a roster spot as the team’s No. 3 running back.
Running backs coach Ben Sirmans said Hill is sitting in a “great position” in the three-player competition to be the top backup behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
“Obviously, we’ve got two more preseason games left, but you’re able to see a lot of things that he’s able to do,” Sirmans said Sunday. “I think the more we put him in situations going against other people and maybe even going against people’s top players to really gauge him even more, I think that’ll help him. But I’ve been very pleased with what we’ve seen in him so far. He’s put himself in good standings.”
Hill, making his NFL debut, carried five times for -2 yards, but the Packers struggled to run block for much of the preseason opener against the Houston Texans, complicating his evaluation in the run game. His highlight came when he caught a screen pass from Jordan Love in the second quarter and weaved around the defense for a 22-yard touchdown, the Packers’ lone score of the night.
Sirmans likes the way Hill uses his top traits – instincts and explosive cutting ability – to set up blocks and create space in the open field as a runner.
“He’s got really good instincts. I think he understands how to process what’s in front of him, how the defense is reacting so he can counter with his quickness. He’s got really good quickness and really explosive cutting ability. He knows how to use those things at the right time,” Sirmans said.
On the touchdown, Hill showed patience and vision as he waited for blocks to form ahead of him. Once he found a crease, he accelerated into the open field and dove into the end zone.
Hill was the first running back on the field after A.J. Dillon departed, confirming his status as the current No. 3 running back on the depth chart. He led the position with 23 snaps played. Hill was also the No. 1 kickoff returner, providing another way to lock in a roster spot.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Hill has a “bright future.”
Hill was a dynamic player during an All-SEC season in 2019, but he played in just three games in 2020, hurting his draft stock. The Packers might have a seventh-round steal and a potential future starter at running back in Hill, who will get two more opportunities – this week against the New York Jets and next week against the Buffalo Bills – to win the job as the third-stringer to start his rookie season.
Patrick Taylor and Dexter Williams are also competing for the third running back spot.
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