clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

George Hill to Ohio State: What it means

We take a look at what the commitment of George Hill means for the Buckeyes.

Special to SB Nation

Ohio State picked up their first commitment for the 2016 recruiting class in the form of Hubbard (OH) running back/wide receiver George Hill, who will likely be one the most highly ranked prospects in the state of Ohio by the time his senior season rolls around.

Despite playing with star running back and fellow Buckeye target Larry "LJ" Scott, Hill still saw plenty of playing time in his sophomore season as the two compliment each other perfectly. Scott is a guy who runs in between the tackles and Hill is their guy who makes teams pay on the outside.

While there's no question Scott will be a running back at the college level, the same cannot be said for Hill, who projects as more of a slot receiver type at the college level. I could see Ohio State using him kind've like they currently use Dontre Wilson, where he'll be listed as a receiver, but will still get some carries on jet sweeps and could occasionally line up in the backfield.

Right now, the best aspect of his game is probably his speed, which he uses to blow by opposing defenders at the college level. If he does in fact make the transition to receiver at the college level, he will need to work on his route running because he simply doesn't play a whole lot of wideout at the high school level.

As far as early playing time, I think it's to early to tell whether or not Hill will be a guy who can contribute from day one in Columbus. I think we'll know the answer to that question once his senior season grows a little closer.

Land-Grant Holy Land football analyst Christopher Jason had the following to say about the newest Buckeye:

George Hill may not be an every down running back at Ohio State but he will be an offensive weapon in Urban Meyer's offense. Hill is still young but he already has good size, standing at 6-foot, 185 pounds. He has a lean, muscular build that coincides with his playing style. 
Hill is a dynamic athlete who uses his elite speed and quickness very well, breaking big run after big run. He cuts on a dime and possesses good vision when he gets to the second level. As our Miles Joseph stated, Hill will most likely be used similarly to how Dontre Wilson is used in the Buckeye offense, on the perimeter. I would like to see him catch the ball more as a senior and run different routes as he will lineup everywhere in Columbus. 
Overall, Hill will be another one of Urban Meyer's playmakers who will reach pay dirt on the regular in Columbus.

I'm sure Hill will be recruiting his teammate Scott to Ohio State to play with him and as things currently stand I think the Buckeyes are in a very good position to land Scott and we're likely to see the two Hubbard stars playing with each other at the college level.

It's also great to have someone committed to the class so early in the process. It's too soon to tell, but Hill is potentially a guy who could start recruiting for the class. Eric-Glover Williams was the first commitment of the 2015 class but never really helped recruiting for the class. Everyone is different in that respect.

It's likely the Buckeyes will add Northridgeville (OH) running back/wide receiver Demario McCall to this recruiting class at some point as well and there's a good chance that happens sometime over the summer. McCall is another running back/slot receiver type of player.

After that, it will be interesting to see what the Buckeyes do at the running back. Do they settle for Hill and McCall and call it a day or do they go after a more tradition style running back? With signing day being more than a year and a half away, the coaching staff has more than plenty of time to figure that out.

Hill is one of those guys who grew up a Buckeye fan and will likely remain a member of this recruiting class come the first Wednesday in February in 2016.