Collin Hill feeling good as practice starts. Transfer WR impresses on his first day
Collin Hill turned down his first chance to make South Carolina’s football practice field his home.
One four-year Colorado State career and three torn ACLs later, he stood on that field Wednesday, talking to South Carolina’s sports communications staff for an interview. He hadn’t even practiced before Tuesday because of the last ACL, and he sounded like a man who had found his place.
“I feel good,” Hill said in a video the school released after practice. “I’m doing everything. No pain. Don’t feel cautious or anything. I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
A product of Dorman High School in Spartanburg, Hill went far afield to play for Mike Bobo in Fort Collins, Colorado, even as South Carolina offered a scholarship late in his recruiting process. He first met Bobo when he was running Georgia’s offense. After the coach took over South Carolina offense, Hill followed and returned to his home state.
He said in the interview that he met with incoming Rams coach Steve Addazio after the coaching transition, and that helped cement his choice.
“Just kind of knew it was time for me to move on,” Hill said.
The new arrangement means his parents can make the quick drive down Interstate 26 to watch him play, instead of multiple flights to get to the mountain time zone. He also spent much of the offseason up in the Spartanburg area, where South Carolina set him up to continue his knee rehab.
That also meant a chance to work out with old high school teammates, including an NFL receiver in J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who went to Stanford and plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hill explained how there was a feeling-out process when he arrived, coming in as a fifth-year graduate student but also being new to the roster.
“When I first got here, you kind of feel like a freshman, almost,” Hill said. “It’s all new to you. It was every interesting. Especially not being out here for spring ball or anything, you’re just not around the guys a lot.”
One thing that wasn’t new was the offense, which he knows as well as any Gamecock since he ran it for four years at Colorado State. Hill gave a little preview of the kind of player he thinks he can be in the context of the Gamecocks attack.
“Definitely a pocket passer,” Hill said. “Just trying to get it to guys to make plays. I feel like I’ve got good arm strength, trying to make good decisions. Just trying to be the best leader and teammate.”
He’s still learning the receivers, though the staff also imported Colorado State veteran Adam Prentice, who was Hill’s recruiting host years ago in Fort Collins.
And all this also means Hill is getting a bit of a crash course in facing high-end SEC defenders. Each practice, he’s got to go against Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu at corner, with both players being mentioned as possible first-round NFL Draft picks.
“Those dudes are studs,” Hill said, “competitors for sure. We go back and forth in the locker room, like to talk a little trash and stuff.”
First day for Brooks, looking good
Jaycee Horn didn’t exactly know Jalen Brook’s name, but he knew the new guy wearing 81 was making plays on Wednesday.
“Today was his first day,” Horn said in a video released by the school. “He’s the real deal.”
Brooks, a transfer from Wingate who put up big numbers on the lower level also impressed Hill, who noted Shi Smith also made some plays.
“Jalen Brooks had a great day today,” Hill said. “(It’s) his first day out here. He made some plays.”
Not buying the draft hype
With both himself and Mukuamu having their names floated as possible first-round draft picks, Horn admitted it’s not possible to fully shut that fact out of mind. He sees himself as one of the best in his sport at the position, and the best usually head to the NFL early and get taken in the early rounds.
But the son of longtime NFL player Joe Horn explained he’s had a good voice reminding him of what that hype is worth.
“At the end of the day, none of those mock drafts matter,” Horn said. “None of that recognition matters. You’ve still got to put the tape on the field. Like (defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson) tells me and Izzy all the time, plenty of guys that were (in) first round mock drafts end up going undrafted.”
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
