Only three Texas linebackers have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since its inception, and Anthony Hill Jr. undoubtedly has the potential to be the fourth next month.
After the type of career he's had in Austin and the performance he put on at the 2026 NFL Combine, fans everywhere shouldn't be surprised to see him sneak into the first round of the draft this year.
His processing skills, movement ability, and football IQ make him an incredibly dangerous weapon for any team to have on defense, and he's perfectly built for today's NFL.
His elite testing numbers jump out on film as well, and you can see how athletic he is in multiple phases of the game when it comes to the linebacker position. Despite being a "bigger" guy at 6'2", 238 lbs., he glides around the field in coverage and is always in an advantageous position against the run. Very few true linebackers in this class have the type of size/speed combination that Hill Jr. has, besides Ohio State's Sonny Styles, of course.
Anthony Hill Jr. had himself a day at the NFL Combine 🤘🐂 pic.twitter.com/9bKDehbuq0
— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) March 4, 2026
Hill Jr. had a better 10-yard split and 40-yard dash time than some wide recievers at the NFL Combine, and his broad jump and vertical were incredibly impressive as well.
What makes him even more attracive for NFL defensive coordinators is his headiness and positional flexibility. He'll be able to be effective at all three linebackers positions at the next level, with SAM or MIKE most likely being his best spots.
MIKE's need to tackle well and be able to run with tight ends and running backs in coverage, and Hill Jr. made those two things look easy throughout his career at Texas.
If he were to go in the the 1st round, his most realistic destinations appear to be Buffalo, Denver, or New England at picks 26, 30, or 31, respectively. All three of these teams have a pretty big need at linebacker, and Hill Jr. could fall right into their laps on day one.