Brandon Hill was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and while he wasn’t able to make an impact during his rookie season, Year 2 is off to a fast start.
Hill — a 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety from Apopka, Fla. — was a key factor in the Houston Texans’ 20-12 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers Friday night at Acrisure Stadium. He even sealed the win.
Hill recorded four tackles (two solo), an interception, a pass breakup and recovered a muffed punt — returning a game-ending punt 35 yards to secure a victory.
Hill picked off a 3rd-and-11 attempt from Steelers quarterback Kyle Allen with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter, a pass intended for wideout Jacob Copeland. He also jumped on a punt muffed by Steelers wideout Quez Watkins midway through the second quarter, setting up a Texans scoring drive. Hill certainly showcased a nose for the football.
Hill arrived as a talented athlete out of Wekiva High, and he watched a very talented duo man the secondary for a couple of seasons before he was inserted into the lineup. He watched Paris Ford lay people out. He watched Damar Hamlin fly around the box.
After watching guys like Ford and Hamlin for a couple of seasons, he stepped into his own as the next star safety at Pitt.
That defensive cohesion with not just Hallett, Marquis Williams and M.J. Devonshire but the entire defense allowed him to break out as a key defensive back — and a candidate to continue the legacy of Pitt defensive backs in the NFL.
In four seasons at Pitt, he racked up 172 tackles (91 solo), three tackles for loss, three interceptions, 12 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two recoveries and two defensive touchdowns.
Hill broke out as a star safety in 2021, earning All-ACC second-team honors for his efforts, racking up 71 tackles (38 solo), a tackle for loss, two interceptions, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and a recovery.
While his 2022 impact wasn’t as apparent (67 tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble returned for a touchdown), opposing quarterbacks didn’t throw Hill’s way in coverage as often. Over the last two seasons, Hill racked up 1,503 defensive snaps. And in those 1,500 snaps, he was groomed to be an NFL defensive back.
“It prepared me well because you can make a lot of checks, especially at the safety position at the University of Pittsburgh, so that’s also prepared me very well,” Hill said.
“I think that goes to coach Narduzzi and his coaching staff. They preach Pitt is a hard-nosed football team, and we just emphasize that. The DBs are the leaders of the defense and once they get everyone on the right page, Pitt is a hard defense to beat.”
Brandon Hill will look to continue the momentum going forward in the attempt to carve out a role in the Texans’ secondary — or on special teams — this season.
H2P