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Get Excited About Justice Hill

The guy who has been with OSU forever has finally signed.

Tulsa World

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Now that the spread offense has become the new standard, there will always be a role for a shifty skill position player who can make plays in space. The Oklahoma State Cowboys have filled that role in this 2016 recruiting class with incoming freshman Justice Hill. Here are some reasons to why OSU fans should get excited for Justice Hill, accompanied by gifs from Hill's Hudl page.

Hill brings a unique blend of speed and agility the running back position. The Booker T. Washington senior ran for 30 touchdowns and almost 1,900 yards, according to MaxPreps. Hill ran for at least 110 yards in each of his 10 games in 2015. His most memorable game was his 276 yard, five touchdown performance against Claremore last October.

Hill has the skills and athleticism to become a valuable feature back for the Cowboys down the road. First of all, Hill has an exceptional burst. Once he finds his hole, he does not hesitate to turn on the jets and aim for the open field, even through congested space.

burst

Hill also has the standard shiftiness of the prototypical "finesse" back. His ability to cut is impressive, but what is more impressive is the amount of grass that he is able to cover when he does make a cut.

cutback

Hill's ability to cut should translate well to the Cowboys' zone blocking scheme. Vision is crucial to success in the run game, and Hill's vision is one of his better qualities. If the hole becomes clogged, or the defense over pursues the point of attack, Hill has no issue with cutting back and aiming his direction to the opposite way.

cut zone

Such vision enables Hill to also improvise when need be. If the defense completely closes down on a play, Hill can make a highlight of what should be an easy tackle for loss.

improv

Finally, Hill displays an uncommon ability to bounce off tacklers. Usually, smaller backs rely on their shiftiness and try to avoid contact. Hill has shown that he can play through tackles, and then use his natural agility to advance in the open field.

contact

Cowboy Comparison:

Kendall Hunter

Kendall Hunter when he was recruited? 5'7, 175. Justice Hill? 5'10, 185. Hunter was a track star at Tyler High School, and he was timed at 11.3 seconds in the 100 meter dash as a senior. Hunter was heavily recruited until it slowed down due to a sustained knee injury. Hill was timed at 11.24 seconds in the 100 meter dash as a senior. He also had his fair share of injuries in his junior year, but had a solid enough performance to impress a couple of schools. Here is an interesting quote from pistolsfiringblog.com on the Booker T. star:

"Hill has a unique humility coupled with a quiet confidence that makes him a very intriguing prospect looking ahead to the 2016 season. He’s a track star with an impressive football pedigree and strong work ethic. "

Now if that doesn't make it sound like Hunter and Hill have a similar demeanor, not to mention a comparable background, what would?

Conclusion:

With Chris Carson, Rennie Childs and Jeff Carr still on the roster, don't be surprised if Justice Hill gets redshirted next season; Hill would just fulfill a role that is already occupied by Jeff Carr. In that sense, don't be excited for what will happen next year, as it will likely be very little for the incoming freshman. Rather, be excited for what is to come, as Justice Hill has the potential to be the Cowboys' back of the future.