Following the departure of Darious Williams in free agency earlier this offseason, the Los Angeles Rams had an inexperienced cornerback group behind Jalen Ramsey. But during the 2022 NFL draft, the Rams traded for a familiar face in Troy Hill, whose maturity has impressed Raheem Morris in training camp thus far.
“He’s a real calming figure, another calming figure in that room. He’s poised. He’s a pro. I just complimented him today on how well he’s matured in the National Football League, coming from where he came from coming into this league, how he got here, going through the growing pains of a young player and maturing and watching how mature he is now, how he moves,” Morris said. “He’s an example. When you have those kind of stories as a credit to the guys that coached him before. Whether it be (Ejiro) Evero, whether it be Aubrey (Pleasant), whether it be (Jonathan) Cooley or whether it be any of the guys that’s coached him in that room or any of the coaches that he had. That’s certainly a credit to what he’s been able to do in his career.”
Hill began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015 as an undrafted cornerback out of Oregon. After a one-year stint with the Bengals, Hill would spend five seasons with the Rams through the 2020 campaign.
Back in 2016, Hill was arrested for a DUI, prompting the Rams to release him. Los Angeles would proceed to re-sign him to their practice squad after his release, giving him another opportunity. Then, before the 2017 season began, Hill was suspended two games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Hill would put his past mistakes behind him in 2020 with the Rams, putting together his best season, tallying 77 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and three interceptions in 16 starts. His performance in 2020 would lead to him signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2021, but he’ll now be returning to Los Angeles to provide versatility alongside Ramsey.
Even though Morris hasn’t gotten a chance to coach Hill until this year, he’s been impressed with the growth that he’s shown since entering the league in 2015. While Hill should bring solid production to the cornerback position, Morris is excited to add his leadership and professional traits to the locker room.
