Despite being a leading cornerback on one of Michigan football’s best pass defenses, Lavert Hill has yet to find his footing at the next level.
Unlike his counterparts David Long and Ambry Thomas, Hill went undrafted and never made a 53-man NFL roster. He’s bounced around on different practice squads, but had a solid year playing in the XFL.
The Steelers have signed cornerback Lavert Hill, the team announced Monday. It previously was reported they are signing former USFL cornerback Nevelle Clarke.
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Hill, who played at the University of Michigan from 2016-19, was named to the All-XFL team this spring. He played with the St. Louis Battlehawks and totaled 25 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games.
Hill was not selected in the 2020 NFL draft but signed with the Chiefs as a college free agent. He also had stints with the Eagles, Cardinals, 49ers and Browns.
Mike Tomlin’s squad has been a popular landing point for several former Wolverines, including Devin Bush, Zach Gentry, Chris Wormley, and others throughout the years.
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It may not be the NFL, but earning big-time honors in any league is great news. And former Michigan football standout cornerback, Lavert Hill, received that news on Monday.
Hill was named to the All-XFL team on Monday. Hill played the season with the St. Louis Battlehawks, who went 7-3, and Hill recorded 25 tackles and two interceptions during the 10 games played.
The former Wolverine played with the maize and blue from 2016-2019. He came to Michigan as a four-star recruit and was a four-year letterman at Michigan. Hill was not selected in the 2020 NFL draft, but was scooped up by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. He had short practice squad stints with a few NFL teams before landing with the Battlehawks.
— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) May 8, 2023
During his Michigan playing days, Hill was a third-team All-American in his junior year and was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist that same season. Hill started 38 games for the Wolverines during his career, and was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree.
Hopefully Hill did enough in the XFL to get another shot in the NFL.
Big news for the former #Michigan standout! #GoBlue
Football fans in the state of Ohio cannot be pleased.
The Cleveland Browns have been snatching up former Michigan football players this offseason, to go along with former draft pick wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Chase Winovich came aboard after spending the first few years of his career with the New England Patriots. Then the Browns tried out and subsequently signed former Wolverine receiver Daylen Baldwin — who was a transfer from Jackson State this past year. Now another is on the move to the city on Lake Erie.
The Browns announced on Friday that they’re snatching up former Michigan cornerback Lavert Hill, the star defensive back who went undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft, but spent his career thus far on various practice squads.
We have signed CB Lavert Hill and waived CB Reggie Robinson II with an injury designation
One corner on his way out, injured, and another on his way in for the Browns:
The Cleveland Browns are once again making moves near the bottom of their roster as GM Andrew Berry is known to do. This time, another injury has predicated the move.
Just as WR Isaiah Weston was waived after his injury, Friday the team released CB Reggie Robinson II. Robinson had missed recent practices with a core muscle issue. Robinson had an interesting tenure with the team in May:
The former Michigan defensive back was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. He has bounced around to different practice squads but has yet to play a regular-season game in the NFL.
Hill stands at 5’10” and around 190 pounds.
If Robinson clears waivers he could join Weston on the team’s injured reserve list.
It’s been tough sledding for former Michigan football cornerback Lavert Hill.
Once spoke of by fellow former Wolverine Jourdan Lewis as likely to exceed his production with the maize and blue, Hill ended up, surprisingly, going undrafted when his turn came, but he was picked up as a free agent and eventually made his way onto the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, where he spent the first few months of the 2020 season. He didn’t last long there, but he was quickly scooped up by the Philadelphia Eagles where he made their practice squad from late Dec. 2020 until just before the 2021 season, when he was cut.
Now, Hill is headed out to Phoenix, as the Arizona Cardinals announced they have signed the former Wolverine to their practice squad.
We have signed S Javon Hagan and CB Lavert Hill to the practice squad, and released DL Jeremiah Ledbetter from the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/3UehVi2Lgf
Hill was a two-time All-Big Ten first team selection as voted on both the coaches and the media. Perhaps yet another change of scenery could help him settle in and either remain on the practice squad or get elevated to the 53-man roster.
The Eagles have waived cornerback Lavert Hill according to the league wire, as the former Michigan cornerback joins Jhamon Ausbon on waivers as well.
Hill signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent time on their practice squad before joining the Eagles last December.
Blake Countess and Treyvon Hester were among 9 players signed to reserve/future contracts by the Philadelphia Eagles
Roster Moves: #Eagles have agreed to terms with DT T.Y. McGill on a one-year contract and signed the following players to reserve/futures contracts. pic.twitter.com/d5gVy6jLjZ
Hill signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft concluded.
Hill was waived during final roster cuts and was signed to the practice squad the following day.
The Chiefs released Hill last month.
At Michigan, Hill was a cornerback who returned to Ann Arbor for his senior season after the Detroit native was named a first-team All-Big Ten selection at cornerback in 2018 and after being named to the second-team in 2017.
Lavert is the younger brother of current Seattle Seahawks safety and former Wolverine defensive back Delano Hill.
An old friend returns to the practice squad while an undrafted free agent says goodbye to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs made a pair of practice squad transactions on Tuesday. According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the team released CB Lavert Hill from the practice squad and made the signing of OL Stefen Wisniewski official.
Hill joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft out of the University of Michigan. He was a standout for the Wolverines despite being a bit undersized at 5-10 and 190 pounds, recording six interceptions and 20 passes defended in four seasons with Michigan. Hill has been on the practice squad throughout 2020, but the arrival of DeAndre Baker seems to have made his status on the practice squad expendable.
Wisniewski joins the Chiefs’ practice squad after starting the 2020 NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wisniewski had earned a starting role on the Steelers offensive line but suffered a pec injury in Week 1 of the season. After a stay on injured reserve, he returned to the Steelers roster. He was ultimately released when the team traded for LB Avery Williamson.
His release allowed for a return to the Chiefs, with whom Wisniewski won a Super Bowl in 2019. He was a midseason addition for Kansas City last year, proving to be crucial depth during the teams’ championship-wining season. The hope seems to be that he can be elevated and serve as depth for the team once again this season as injuries along the offensive line have been a prominent story for Kansas City.
How does Michigan CB Lavert Hill fit with the Kansas City Chiefs?
A four-star prospect at the cornerback position out of high school, Hill was recruited to more than two dozen schools. He ultimately went with the Michigan Wolverines. His older brother, Delano Hill, also played for Michigan and currently plays safety for the Seattle Seahawks.
Hill lettered in each of his four years with the Wolverines. He worked his way up from special teams to become a leader in the secondary for Michigan. As a junior, he was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which recognizes the best defensive back in college football. By the end of his career with the Wolverines, he’d become one of just four players with multiple interceptions returned for touchdowns. He also is ranked sixth in school history for passes defended with 29 over the course of his career.
Stats:
2016: 9 games played. Two total tackles, one pass defended and one fumble recovery.
2017: 12 games played. 25 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, nine passes defended and one touchdown.
2018: 13 games played. 14 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, six passes defended and one touchdown.
2019: 12 games played. 16 total tackles, one tackle for loss, three interceptions and 13 passes defended.
A cornerback with a nose for the football is never a bad thing, especially when a big goal for the defense this offseason was to increase ball production.
Hill also has vision, as evidenced by his two interceptions returned for touchdowns at Michigan. That could potentially translate into some time at kick or punt returner on special teams if Dave Toub gets an opportunity to try him there.
Hill shares a similar size and athletic profile with players like Steven Nelson and Keith Reaser, who were both formerly members of the Chiefs. I anticipate the front office envisions him as a similar type of player. He has experience playing outside at Michigan but can also shift inside if necessary. He plays with an edge, toughness and confidence in his game.
A good indicator that the Chiefs have plans for Hill — they paid him the second-most guaranteed money among undrafted free agents in this class. He was also regarded as the top cornerback available following the 2020 NFL Draft.
