After spending many of the offseason’s resources on offense, the Cincinnati Bengals finally got Lou Anarumo a guy by making Michigan safety Daxton Hill the No. 31 pick of the 2022 NFL draft’s first round.
Hill, 6’0″ and 191 pounds, was a hybrid safety/nickel in the Wolverines defense who will be an immediate rotational starter in the slot, at safety and perhaps on the boundary with Eli Apple.
Last year, Hill tallied 69 total tackles with 4.5 for a loss with 0.5 sacks, two interceptions and eight passes defended. His elite athleticism, including a 4.38 40-yard dash time, paired with his film, suggests Pro Bowl upside.
Entering the first round after a Super Bowl berth, the Bengals sat in a comfortable position where a lack of major needs meant taking the best player available. Any level of the defense, plus the offensive line, seemed like a plausible route, depending on how the board fell.
That board saw some interesting names all across the defense nearly fall, but Hill won out over names like Andrew Booth.
