Sammie Lee Hill, DT

Hill is regarded by many to be the premier small college prospect at his position. The four-year starter lined up at left defensive end as a junior and senior, but with explosive burst penetrating the gaps and wide frame, many teams feel that he is better suited to play inside at tackle at the next level, his original college position. His ability to shut down the running game saw him produce 44.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage during his career, setting the school career record.

Hill is much more than your typical defensive lineman, though. He served as a tight end in goal-line blocking situations, where he scored on a 16-yard reception and also on a two-point conversion. He competed as an up-back and wedge buster on special teams, as the 330-pounder was seen rumbling with his first kickoff return as a senior. He also got to drop back in coverage as a giant middle linebacker, racing 38 yards into the end zone for a touchdown with an interception as a junior.

At West Blockton High School, Hill was an All-Conference and All-Area gridiron selection. He competed on both lines, in addition to seeing time at tight end and linebacker. He saw playing time as a place-kicker. In addition to his football exploits, he also excelled on the basketball court, where he actually got more attention from those recruiters than in football.

Hill's high school coach convinced the Stillman College staff to offer him a full scholarship and the then 270-pounder enrolled at the university in 2004, red-shirting that season. He lined up at strong-side defensive tackle in 2005, posting 39 tackles (13 solos) with 3.5 sacks and six stops for losses on defense. In brief action as a tight end, he also caught one pass for a 16-yard score.

As a sophomore, Hill appeared in 10 games as an interior lineman. He collected 41 tackles (15 solos) that included a pair of sacks and three pressures. He deflected thee passes and intercepted another. He also placed third on the team with nine stops behind the line of scrimmage.

With the arrival of new head coach Greg Thompson, Hill was shifted to left defensive end in 2007. The coaching staff felt the move was necessary, as it eliminated their best defensive player from having to deal with double-team blocking inside and also allowed him to shut down one half of the field. The move certainly paid off.

After posting 15 stops for loss during his first two seasons at tackle, the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first-team selection registered 14 stops for loss, along with 4.5 sacks, to go with 52 tackles (29 solos). He also caused four fumbles and returned a pass theft 38 yards for a touchdown.

He also put his life on the line in 2007. Hill and two other Stillman players were heading back to campus when they saw flames and smoke coming from a house. A young woman was frantically trying to flag down help. When they backed up and stopped, Cassandra Webb told them that her father, Curtis Webb Sr., was inside.

Hill tells it this way: "Sure enough, there was a lady outside saying that her father needs help. All we could do was put our hands over our faces and hope that we didn't get hurt. We looked up, and, well, it was a blessing that we could grab him and protect ourselves so we all were safe. We all grabbed hold of him and carried him out of the house. It's not a situation I ever thought I would be in, but that's the way I was raised. I was happy I did it."

Hill added, "There was a lot of media and press coming around after that happened. It was OK. I felt like I didn't need all that, because I would want somebody to do the same thing for my father or mother in the same situation. God blessed us in that situation. If it was me and my parents were in that situation, I would want somebody to help me."

Hill was again an All-SIAC first-team choice in 2008. In 11 games at left defensive end, he registered a career-high 59 tackles (32 solos), as he led the team with 7.5 sacks and paced the league with 15.5 stops for loss. He also had a career-high eight pressures, including three that caused interceptions. He scored on a two-point conversion pass, deflected seven passes and recovered three fumbles.

Positives: Tall with muscular overall build and long arms. … Displays excellent agility and quickness for his size. … Uses a punch and good hand play to discard offensive tackles at the line of scrimmage. … Swats chipping running backs away like flies on the outside. … Good closing speed and has the length to wrap up in the backfield. … Flashes the initial quickness inside. … Bull rushes his man into the pocket when one-on-one inside. … Breaks down on the edge and changes direction well for his size. … Could project as a 3-4 defensive end.

Negatives: Looks like a man among boys against lower level competition, especially when lined up on the edge, but must prove he can handle the next level physically. … Fails to consistently get off double teams when inside. … Must work on lowering his pad level so he's not stood up to lose the leverage battle against NFL offensive linemen and be susceptible to cut blocks. … Doesn't chase or hustle consistently.

Compares To: SHAUN ROGERS, Cleveland -- Hill has the potential to be much more consistent than Rogers, but will just need time to adjust to NFL life from the low level of competition he played in. Hill flashes a burst to finish and shows effectiveness stopping the running game as a three-tech defender. He has a very strong anchor vs. the run and uses his hands well to cross over the offensive lineman's face to make the play. He generates excellent leverage to stack at the point of attack. He has the quick, strong and active hands to split double teams and his long arms allow him to consistently push the pocket.

GENERAL REPORT: GRADE: 6.40

Body Structure: Hill has a wide chest with muscular arms, wide hips, very thick thighs and calves. He has very good body thickness and still has room on his frame for additional growth. He shows good overall muscle tone, wide waist, long limbs and muscular guns.

Athletic Ability: Hill has excellent size and strength for his position. He shows good flexibility and change of direction agility. When he stays down in his pads, he generates good explosion off the snap. He gets a strong anchor vs. the run and has the agility to flow to the ball laterally. GRADE: 7.0

Football Sense: Hill needs to pick up schemes quicker. He does not need extra reps to retain, but has had minimal coaching on technique work and has not played against top-level competition. He learns well, but a team has to realize the difference in tutoring at his level vs. a major college coaching staff. GRADE: 5.5

Character: Hill is a great spokesman for the team. He comes from a religious family and shows outstanding character off the field. He saved a person from a fire in 2007 and has that "aw shucks" attitude when people sing his praises. He has no known off-field issues and is the type that takes care of his own business. He is an outgoing type whose work ethic and mentoring of the younger players saw the coaching staff name him one of the team's captains as a senior. GRADE: 7.0

Competitiveness: Hill flashes good aggression and competitiveness in the trenches. He is not prone to costly mistakes (his only penalty the last two years did lead to an opponent TD drive, though). He is not the type that will take plays off. In fact, he volunteers for a variety of roles, serving as a short-yardage tight end, an up-back on the PAT unit and as a wedge protector on special teams. GRADE: 6.5

Work Habits: Hill is a good leader on and off the field. As evident by his weight room numbers, he spends a good portion of his spare time in the training room. He takes well to hard coaching, but does not need the staff to ride him in order to produce. GRADE: 6.0

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 6.12

Explosion/Pursuit: Hill flashes adequate timed speed, but can be sudden and create advantage which he can retain. He shows good explosion and consistently shocked blockers back with his strength. He is quick to penetrate the line of scrimmage and fires off the snap at a good pad level to get under the pads and ride the blocker into the pocket. He shows good hand extension to get separation and has the short-area burst as a bull rusher to flush the quarterback out of the pocket. With his valid first step, he can be dominant at the line of scrimmage. GRADE: 6.3

Strength at Point: Hill does a very good job of stalling the double team with leverage and power. He can recover and create a pile or split the double team with ease. He sets and generates a heavy anchor to hold the point. He is tough to move off the ball when he hunkers down, even vs. double teams. He has the ability to neutralize blockers in one-on-one battles and a very good anchor on plays directed right at him. GRADE: 7.0

Use of Hands: Hill is quick and very strong with his hands. He discards blocks and doesn't stay tied up long. He is still a bit raw using his hands on the pass rush (needs better rip and swim moves), and is still a work in progress there, but improving. He gets good extension to put full force behind his punch and shows good shock ability attacking the blocker's body on the bull rush. GRADE: 6.5

Lateral Pursuit/Effort: Hill does not have the motor needed for long pursuit, but can flash a good burst working down the line. For a player of his size, Hill is agile on the lateral move, but has just adequate speed. He shows good body control in his change of direction, but is best in the short area, as he is only average getting acceleration in his long pursuit (motor seems to tire). At the Xs, he seems to have that natural feel to slide and get under the blocking scheme. GRADE: 5.5

Tackling Ability: Hill has the tools to deliver good force behind his tackles, but will get into a rhythm where he plays too high and the result is that he won't finish. His upper body strength compensates a bit when he plays at a high pad level. In the trenches, he gets good production as a wrap-up tackler. He knows how to use his size to break down and engulf ball carriers when working in tight areas, but lacks the feet to make plays in space. He is an effective striker in closed quarters, where he will collide and wrap. He is adept in leveling the quarterback with his burst. GRADE: 6.3

Run Defense: Hill has good balance and a strong anchor. He will struggle some to pick up his feet moving in trash (susceptible to the low blocks), but does a good job of staying on his feet vs. plays coming right at him. He is active with his hands to disengage. He generally plays with good leverage and pad level, showing the flexibility to hold ground at the point of attack. He just needs to keep his feet free on the move, as he has the tools to be a solid two-gap player. GRADE: 6.5

Pass Rush: Hill needs better production, but can penetrate the gaps with quickness and mash the pocket with his power. He gets a good push off the blocker and has the desire when he sees the lane. When he can not locate the target, his motor still runs and he shows desire once he sees the passer. However, he is much more effective shooting the inside gaps as a bull rusher, as it is obviously that his timed speed won't get the job done coming off the edge at the next level. GRADE: 5.4

Closing on the QB: Hill generates a good burst to close in the short area. He has adequate short-area speed, especially when shooting the gaps, but is not the type that can give a long distance chase to seal the deal. He is a strong burst type who can defeat the blocker with his quickness to flush the quarterback out working over the head of a guard or center, but lacks the foot speed coming off the outside shoulder of a tackle. One look at his pressure totals indicates that he just adequate ability to get to the passer. GRADE: 5.4

Instincts/Recognition: Hill shows good ball location and reaction quickness. He can recognize and diagnose the play and does a nice job of sensing schemes to react and get back into the play. He is a good reactor once he's disengaged and with his size, he should have no problems seeing the play develop at the next level. GRADE: 6.3

Compares To: SHAUN ROGERS, Cleveland -- Hill has the potential to be much more consistent than Rogers, but will just need time to adjust to NFL life from the low level of competition he played in. Hill flashes a burst to finish and shows effectiveness stopping the running game as a three-tech defender. He has a very strong anchor vs. the run and uses his hands well to cross over the offensive lineman's face to make the play. He generates excellent leverage to stack at the point of attack. He has the quick, strong and active hands to split double teams and his long arms allow him to consistently push the pocket.

OVERALL GRADE: 6.17

--Report by Dave-Te Thomas

Hill started 38 of 41 games at Stillman, including 17 at strong-side defensive tackle and 21 at left defensive end … Recorded 191 tackles (89 solos) with 17.5 sacks for minus 96 yards and 15 quarterback pressures … Set the school career-record with 44.5 tackles for losses totaling 210 yards … His 15.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2008 rank second on the school season-record list and his 14 TFLs in 2007 rank third … Scored on a 16-yard reception, a two-point conversion and on one of his two interceptions, returning the ball 38 yards … Recovered four fumbles, caused five others and deflected thirteen passes.

All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report … Rated the best defensive tackle prospect in the small college ranks by that scouting information service … Added All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first-team honors … Started all year at left defensive end, ranking fourth on the team with a career-high 59 tackles (32 solos) … Was second on the team with 7.5 sacks for minus 33 yards and 15.5 stops for losses of 81 yards … Added eight quarterback pressures and seven pass deflections … Recovered three fumbles and caused another … Also returned a kickoff 13 yards and scored on a two-point conversion pass … Had at least one tackle behind the line of scrimmage in every game.

Miles College … Hill opened the season with four tackles and a pass deflection, taking down tailback Quinn Porter behind the line of scrimmage in the second quarter … Head to Head Competition: OT#70-Michsael Alexander.

Jackson State … Followed with another four tackles, killing a third quarter series when he stopped tailback Bloi-Dei Dorzon behind the line of scrimmage on a third-&-1 play … Head to Head Competition: OT#77-Michael Smith.

Clark-Atlanta … Hill delivered five tackles, showing his relentless motor by chasing down QB Cedric Johnson for a 21-yard loss on a bootleg early in the first quarter … Head to Head Competition: OT#59-Carlton Norman.

Tuskegee … The kleft defensive end posted five tackles (3 solos) with a pressure, a pass deflection and a pair of sacks … Took down QB Jacary Atkinson for a 4-yard loss late in the first quarter and sacked him again for minus 5 yards midway through the second stanza … Head to Head Competition: OT#74-Ira Soares.

Kentucky State … Added six tackles (3 solos) with two pass break-ups, a pair of pressures and 1.5 stops for loss … Also returned a short kickoff 13 yards in the second quarter … Prevented a mid first quarter score when he tackled Michael Wright for a 1-yard loss on a second-&-goal play from the Stillman 1-yard line … Killed two third quarter series when he pressured QB Kevin Warner into throwing a third-&17 incomplete pass, and later chased down Warner for an 18-yard loss on an option run … Head to Head Competition: OT#74-Keith Griffin.

Albany State … Delivered a season-high nine tackles (6 solos) that included 1.5 sacks of QB Kisan Flakes for minus 8 yards … Also recovered a fumble … Head to Head Competition: OT#

71-Montrell Neal.

Edward Waters … Sacked QB Kamau Leitner for a 4-yard loss and had a pair of tackles behind the line of scrimmage … Head to Head Competition: OT#78-Greg Gordon.

Lane College … Pressured Sherard Ellis twice and sacked him once for minus 6 yards, adding two stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven tackles … Head to Head Competition: OT#71 De'Andre Turner (Turner is 6:10, 453).

Benedict College … Hill produced eight tackles (5 solos) … At the start of the second quarter, he made a left-handed catch of a two-point conversion pass, barreling over two defenders to get into the end zone … Later in that frame, he deflected a third-&-16 Kevin Reese pass to bring out the punting unit … In the third quarter, his third-&-11 4-yard sack of Robert Spence led to another Benedict punt … With 0:55 left in the game, he again sacked Spence for a 3-yard loss … Head to Head Competition: OT#61-Cliff Ellison.

Morehouse College … Hill collected just four tackles, but three of them resulted in lost yardage … His 1-yard sack of QB William Brack on thiord-&-20 resulted in a first quarter punt … hill was called for a personal foul after clobbering Brack for a 7-yard loss, setting up a Morehouse touchdown drive in the second quarter … He made up for that miscue by killing a late fourth quarter possession when he sacked Brack for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-&-1 snap … Head to Head Competition: OT#75-Anthony Haynes.

Fort Valley State … Hill closed out his career with four solo tackles, recovering a fumble by Dorian Giles on the first possession of the game … Head to Head Competition: OT#66-Rodney Culler.

Hill earned All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first-team honors … Shifted to left defensive end, recording 52 tackles (29 solos) in ten games … Credited with 4.5 sacks for minus 26 yards and led the Tigers with fourteen stops for losses totaling 69 yards … Caused four fumbles and recovered another … Returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown and had three pass deflections.

Sacked QB Kamau Leitner twice for minus 17 yards and registered eleven tackles (8 solos) in the season opener vs. Edward Waters … Tackled Chris Bimbo for a 3-yard loss and recovered a fumble vs. Concordia … Registered a season-high nine tackles vs. Albany State and was in on seven hits, including a 5-yard sack vs. QB Garret Williams in the Fort Valley State clash … Posted four solo tackles with two stops for minus 14 yards vs. Lane and registered a 14-yard sack of Michsael Woods, as he also picked off one of the QB's passes for a 38-yard touchdown return vs. Kentucky State … Ended the season with eight tackles, including a 5-yard sack of QB Xavier Shorthouse vs. Benedict.

Lined up at strong-side defensive tackle, starting all ten games … Ranked fifth on the team with 41 tackles (15 solos) that included two sacks for minus 14 yards, ranking third on the squad with nine stops for losses of 29 yards … Also had three pressures, three pass break-ups and an interception.

Made five tackles, including a 2-yard sack of QB Ken Johnson vs. Concordia … Had six hits with a 5-yard sack of QB Terry Standfield, two stops for losses, a pass deflection and his first career interception vs. Miles … Followed with seven tackles, twice taking down tailback Marcus Adams behind the line of scrimmage vs. Lane … Caused an interception when he pressured QB Kelcy Luke, also sacking him for a 2-yard loss, as he added four tackles in the Alabama A&M clash … Sacked QB Kendrick Dozier for minus 5 yards, as he also delivered five tackles vs. Langston in the season finale.

Appeared in nine games as a true freshman, lining up at strong-side defensive tackle …

Recorded 39 tackles (13 solos) with 3.5 sacks for minus 23 yards, six stops for losses of 31 yards and three pressures … Also had a 16-yard touchdown reception.

His first career tackle was a 6-yard sack of QB Kevin Huff, adding four hits in the Tuskegee game … Posted four tackles with an assisted sack in each of the Lane and Morehouse games … Had a season-high eleven tackles (3 solos) with an assisted sack and two stops for losses vs. Miles … Posted four tackles (3 solos) and in a few plays at tight end, he caught a 16-yard pass from Kevin Fleming in the third quarter for a touchdown, ending an 11-play, 60-yard series vs. Fort Valley.

Red-shirted as a freshman.

No injuries reported, but did sit out the 2005 Clark-Atlanta contest and the 2007 Langston game for undisclosed reasons.

2009: Suffered a hamstring pull during East-West Shrine Game practices.

Combine: 5.12 in the 40-yard dash … 1.69 10-yard dash … 2.84 20-yard dash … 4.97 20-yard shuttle … 7.89 three-cone drill … 28-inch vertical jump … 9'1" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times … 34-inch arm length … 9 1/2-inch hands.

Attended West Blockton (Ala.) High School … All-Conference and All-Area pick … Competed on both lines, in addition to seeing time at tight end and linebacker … Also saw playing time as a place-kicker … Also excelled on the basketball court, where he actually got more attention from those recruiters than in football.

Scheduled to graduate in May, 2009, with a degree in Health and Secondary Education major … Mother, Gloria Hill, is a minister and a caterer … Hill credits his mother's cooking for helping him bulk up to 330 pounds … Born 10/14/86 … Resides in West Blockton, Alabama.