Oregon LB Meets Virtually with Vikings
Josh Frey
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The 2024 NFL Draft is just a couple days away.
Last week, teams concluded their final top 30 visits with prospects, but they’ve continued conducting virtual meetings with a few prospects in the final days leading up to the event. The latest visit for the Vikings in this fashion was Oregon LB Jamal Hill, who chatted with special teams coordinator Matt Daniels on Tuesday.
Oregon LB Meets Virtually with Vikings
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported the visit, tweeting, “Oregon @oregonfootball linebacker Jamal Hill meeting virtually today with #Vikings special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, met with #49ers #Jets #Raiders met virtually twice with #Texans, per a source, and with #Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. #Bills meeting, #Jets Monday. Visited #Colts #Broncos did #Falcons local prospect day. Met with #49ers individually. Up to 226 pounds since Pro Day.”
Linebacker is a position that has seen some turnover for the Vikings this offseason. Obviously, Jordan Hicks left in free agency, signing with the Cleveland Browns. Hicks put together a strong season in Minnesota last year in Brian Flores’ scheme, particularly because he was utilized far more often as a blitzer.
While Hicks’ departure left a void in the starting lineup, the Vikings also brought in Blake Cashman from the Houston Texans. Cashman will be the player charged with replacing Hicks in the starting lineup after a strong season of 106 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, five passes defended, and an interception. It was his first year as a full-time starter in his five-year NFL career.
The Vikings also saw Troy Dye leave in free agency as he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. Dye appeared in 15 games last season for the Vikings and made two starts on defense, so his departure has formed a bit of a void in Minnesota’s depth.
That could be the role that the Vikings see Hill potentially filling if he were to be drafted by the team. Hall actually began his collegiate career at Oregon as a safety, but as he continued to put on some extra pounds, the Ducks opted to move him down to the linebacker spot over the past couple years.
In total, Pro Football Focus has Hill with 107 snaps at defensive line, 551 in the box, 843 as a slot corner, 37 as a boundary corner, and 276 as a free safety over his five seasons with the Ducks. He’s about as versatile a defender as they come on the defensive side of the ball.
Ultimately, it will be very interesting to see the exact position that Hill plays at in the NFL. He is a bit undersized for a true linebacker spot (weighed just 216 pounds at his pro day), but his speed and athletic ability could make him an intriguing player to put on the field in coverage.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.