Hello, My Name Is: Nick Hill

Four commitments in 11 days? Add Nick Hill and make it five in 16.

ANALYST RANKINGS

Rivals gives him 3 stars, calling him the #10 all-purpose back in the nation. SpartanMag ranks him as the #12 player in the state of Michigan. Scout gives him 3 stars and puts him as the #30 runningback in the nation.

And I never thought I’d say this, but thank god for ESPN, as they bring a unique perspective to Hill as a player…

Its hard not like the production you see from Hill on film, this guy is constantly gaining positive yards and seems to consistently be running downhill. He lacks great size but utilizes his shorter stature and low center of gravity to his advantage picking and sliding through traffic with good balance and vision. A very sturdy yet shifty runner who never gives defenders a clean shot on him. Has good feet and vision. Has a very strong, compact frame and wide base but it’s his leg drive and determination that stands out. He never stops his feet from moving and finishes each carry. While sudden through the hole, he does appear quicker than fast.

COMPETITION

It appeared Hill was Stanford-bound before his latest offer. Also holds offers from Toledo, Central, Eastern, ya know…all those MAC schools. Seems like a very good fit in Ann Arbor physically, and the no offer is puzzling to me.

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Despite his size (5-7/184), Hill prefers to go right up the middle. His persistence and ability to run through dead-ends is impressive. Possesses great burst but not necessarily break-away speed. Has four letters in his first name and four letters in his last name.

Wait, what? Yes. He reminds me of Mike Hart. I said it. Many are trying to downplay this comparison, but criminy, he even looks like him. Idolizes him.

With big time attention from Jim Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinal, Hill has proven himself to be more than solid in the classroom, reporting a 3.2 GPA.

MEDIA & LINKAGE

From Allen Trieu, click for speed:

The 5′7, 185-lb Hill has been one of the most prolific running backs in Michigan over the past few seasons, rolling up over 4,700 yards over the past three seasons. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it and it feels right,” Hill explained. He received his offer from MSU after running a 4.35 at their camp a few weeks back.

Matt Dorsey and Josh Hemdolt of SpartanMag and The Wolverine respectively, call Hill the #6 player in the state Detroit Free Press:

Hill uses his 5-6, 180-pound frame to hide behind offensive linemen, waiting for a hole to develop, much the same way (Mike) Hart did. One difference, though, is Hill has legitimate 4.4 (in the 40-yard dash) speed and the ability to take any carry the distance.

MLive broke the commitment after talking to his high school coaches:

“I wanted to go there because it’s a top-notch education and this is a program on the rise,” Hill said. “The coaching staff, they’re all in it for the right reasons. They’re doing the right things. It’s a family feeling.”

Named the Ann Arbor News Player of the Year: Ann Arbor News

“It would be easy for him to be the star, big-headed or difficult to be around,” coach Brad Bush said. “But, across the board, he’s a kid who’s extremely well-liked.”

WWHMASI:

(When will he make a significant impact?) This is probably the toughest call thus far for the 2010 group. A year or two ago, we would be wowing at Nick’s speed. Well, we still are. But as Mark Dantonio collects more and more young players like Keshawn Martin, Chris D. Rucker, Johnny Adams, and Bennie Fowler, all of whom have speed to burn, it becomes less and less of a necessity for a player like Nick Hill to play on special teams from day one.

With capable players like Anderson, Leggett, Ray, Baker, Caper, and Winston all ahead of him in the backfield, look for him to take a redshirt in 2010.

WACRFWTK

(What a common recruiting follower wants to know)

Thought Mark Dantonio would start to move his focus out of state after winning the Michigan recruiting battle in ‘09? Keep dreaming. He’s clearly sticking to his guns with several viable foreign options still available at tailback.

Hill grew up loving the Wolverines. A quick commitment from him rather than a drawn out process waiting for “bigger” offers is obvious progress.

This addition is significant because there is no player on the roster quite like Hill. His quickness and cutting give an interesting compliment to the Baker/Caper duo, yet he packs alot of strength in his small frame, posting a 330lb bench max with a 580lb squat. Add in some gaudy high school statistics (2,290 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior), and there is excitement for his arrival.

It makes for an interesting situation for the 2010 class. Can Michigan State really fit in another runningback? And for that matter, does it want one?

It’s hard to imagine Dantonio passing on a Roderick Smith, Braylon Heard, Austin White, or Andre Givens. But if the staff strikes out on plan A’s, I wouldn’t expect them to explore second options.

Hill intends to be one of several early enrollees for the class of 2010.