Daxton Hill, No. 14 in the ESPN 300, is now Michigan's highest-rated 2019 commitment. Read below to see what Hill, one of the nation's most physically gifted prospects, adds to the Wolverines' roster:
What he brings: Long, explosive athlete with all the physical tools to make an early impact. Quick to read and react and pursues fast without much wasted motion. Very good coverage skills; adept at both man and zone. Shows good pop on contact as a tackler. Still developing size and strength which makes for a high ceiling.
How he fits: Hill's ability to close and make plays with athleticism and ball skills in the passing game is perfect for the back-end of defensive coordinator Don Brown's pressure defense. He's also scheme-versatile enough to play down in the box and pursue hard and fast against the run. We expect Hill to come in and challenge from day one for playing reps in Ann Arbor, at least on sub packages.
Reminds us of: Keanu Neal, Atlanta Falcons. Hill possesses the same type of rare range and explosiveness that Neal flashed on Friday nights prior to arriving at Florida. Hill's size and speed combination, including 4.3 40-yard dash speed, may be a notch above Neal's coming out of high school.
How the class is shaping up: The Wolverines are hunting for a third top-10 class in four years under Jim Harbaugh, and the early returns are promising. Loading up on the defensive line is key in 2019, and Michigan has answered with ESPN 300 in-state DT Mazi Smith, fellow ESPN 300 DT Christopher Hinton, ESPN 300 DT and Florida State flip Michael Morris Jr. and four-star DE David Ojabo, who might have the highest upside of all. The same can be said for the offensive line. The Wolverines' five commitments are headlined by ESPN 300 Peach State OT Trente Jones, ESPN 300 OC/G Nolan Rumler and three-star OTs Karsen Barnhart and Jack Stewart. That is music to the ears of ESPN 300 QB Cade McNamara and four-star running backs Eric Gray and Zach Charbonnet. Four-star LB Charles Thomas is a tackling machine, while three-star tight end Erick All will be a versatile playmaker.