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Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0b381914-1f41-589a-b06b-a345366f15bf.html
As an undrafted rookie free agent with the Rams, Aaron Hill faces a battle to make the 53-man roster.
But it is not a completely unfamiliar position for him.
Hill, who starred in football, basketball and track at Lutheran High of St. Charles County, began his college football career as a walk-on at the University of Minnesota and finished up as a three-year starter and a team leader for a Golden Gophers squad that reached bowl games to close out the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
This weekend, Hill is one of the 25 or so rookies going through skill-development and orientation work at Rams Park. On Monday, the rookies will continue that work alongside the squad’s veterans. The team’s organized team activities (OTAs) will begin in early June, with training camp starting in late July.
“It’s a new chapter for me and we’re definitely at the top off the food chain now,’’ the 23-year-old Hill said. “There’s definitely some similarities to what I went through when I first got to Minnesota — new coaching staff, new teammates and a new level of football. Right now, I’m in the process of trying to establish my role both in the linebacker group and on special teams.’’
Hill, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 231 pounds, signed with the hometown Rams shortly after the NFL draft wrapped up Saturday evening. He said his agent was also contacted by the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“The Rams had me in for a local visit and it went well, so when they called right after the draft, I committed before I even heard from anybody else,’’ he admitted. “Getting a chance to play close so home, it doesn’t get any better than that. I grew up a Rams’ fan — ’99 Super Bowl, Mike Jones’ game-saving tackle, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Marshall Faulk — that was my team.’’
And his favorite player?
“That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say Marshall Faulk,’’ he said. “I actually went to one of his camps as a kid.’’
The son of Nancy and Jack Hill, Aaron grew up around football. His father starred at Rosary High in the 1970s and later played at Culver-Stockton before finishing up at Central Missouri State. Then he turned his focus to coaching and work as a computer specialist. His coaching stops included Aquinas-Mercy, Duchesne and Lutheran St. Charles.
“Growing up, he was my coach,’’ said Aaron, a third-team Post-Dispatch All-Metro selection after recording 111 tackles with five sacks and three interceptions while picking up nearly 1,500 yards in total offense as a Cougars senior.
Hill said he fell in love with the University of Minnesota during a February visit.
“I went up for an academic visit with my dad and it reminded me a lot of home, with the city and school being so close,’’ he said. “I knew that’s where I wanted to go to school and that I also wanted to play football.
“But the coaches hadn’t recruited me at all — didn’t know a thing about me — but they said I could walk on and invited me to camp.’’
He was awarded a scholarship after a redshirt season and progressed steadily from there. He became a fulltime starter in 2012, finishing in a tie for third on the team with 74 tackles. Last fall, as the Golden Gophers’ lone returning defensive starter, Hill was third on the team with 72 tackles and also led the way with a pair of interceptions. At 8-5, Minnesota posted its first winning season since 2008.
In college, Hill forced five fumbles, recovered three fumbles (returning one for a touchdown) and picked off four passes (returning two for scores).
“Aaron was one of the leaders of our team and always seemed to make a play when we needed one,’’ Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said.
Working toward a master’s degree in applied kinesiology, Hill is a three-time All-Big Ten All-Academic honoree who twice won the team’s Butch Nash Award for competitiveness on the field and in the classroom.
Those high-level study habits should come in handy as Hill works to learn the Rams’ playbook and make the transition to pro football.
“At first, it is a little overwhelming because there’s so much new stuff to learn,’’ Hill said. “But once you start to break it down, to learn the terminology and the concepts, it’s football, the same game we’ve all been playing since we were kids.’’
But with a little more at stake.
“As (defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) said, every day is an interview and the film doesn’t lie,’’ Hill said. “So right now, my job is to go out every day and try to put my stamp on every rep, making sure to give it everything I’ve got to try and win a spot on this football team.’’
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0b381914-1f41-589a-b06b-a345366f15bf.html
As an undrafted rookie free agent with the Rams, Aaron Hill faces a battle to make the 53-man roster.
But it is not a completely unfamiliar position for him.
Hill, who starred in football, basketball and track at Lutheran High of St. Charles County, began his college football career as a walk-on at the University of Minnesota and finished up as a three-year starter and a team leader for a Golden Gophers squad that reached bowl games to close out the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
This weekend, Hill is one of the 25 or so rookies going through skill-development and orientation work at Rams Park. On Monday, the rookies will continue that work alongside the squad’s veterans. The team’s organized team activities (OTAs) will begin in early June, with training camp starting in late July.
“It’s a new chapter for me and we’re definitely at the top off the food chain now,’’ the 23-year-old Hill said. “There’s definitely some similarities to what I went through when I first got to Minnesota — new coaching staff, new teammates and a new level of football. Right now, I’m in the process of trying to establish my role both in the linebacker group and on special teams.’’
Hill, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 231 pounds, signed with the hometown Rams shortly after the NFL draft wrapped up Saturday evening. He said his agent was also contacted by the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“The Rams had me in for a local visit and it went well, so when they called right after the draft, I committed before I even heard from anybody else,’’ he admitted. “Getting a chance to play close so home, it doesn’t get any better than that. I grew up a Rams’ fan — ’99 Super Bowl, Mike Jones’ game-saving tackle, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Marshall Faulk — that was my team.’’
And his favorite player?
“That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say Marshall Faulk,’’ he said. “I actually went to one of his camps as a kid.’’
The son of Nancy and Jack Hill, Aaron grew up around football. His father starred at Rosary High in the 1970s and later played at Culver-Stockton before finishing up at Central Missouri State. Then he turned his focus to coaching and work as a computer specialist. His coaching stops included Aquinas-Mercy, Duchesne and Lutheran St. Charles.
“Growing up, he was my coach,’’ said Aaron, a third-team Post-Dispatch All-Metro selection after recording 111 tackles with five sacks and three interceptions while picking up nearly 1,500 yards in total offense as a Cougars senior.
Hill said he fell in love with the University of Minnesota during a February visit.
“I went up for an academic visit with my dad and it reminded me a lot of home, with the city and school being so close,’’ he said. “I knew that’s where I wanted to go to school and that I also wanted to play football.
“But the coaches hadn’t recruited me at all — didn’t know a thing about me — but they said I could walk on and invited me to camp.’’
He was awarded a scholarship after a redshirt season and progressed steadily from there. He became a fulltime starter in 2012, finishing in a tie for third on the team with 74 tackles. Last fall, as the Golden Gophers’ lone returning defensive starter, Hill was third on the team with 72 tackles and also led the way with a pair of interceptions. At 8-5, Minnesota posted its first winning season since 2008.
In college, Hill forced five fumbles, recovered three fumbles (returning one for a touchdown) and picked off four passes (returning two for scores).
“Aaron was one of the leaders of our team and always seemed to make a play when we needed one,’’ Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said.
Working toward a master’s degree in applied kinesiology, Hill is a three-time All-Big Ten All-Academic honoree who twice won the team’s Butch Nash Award for competitiveness on the field and in the classroom.
Those high-level study habits should come in handy as Hill works to learn the Rams’ playbook and make the transition to pro football.
“At first, it is a little overwhelming because there’s so much new stuff to learn,’’ Hill said. “But once you start to break it down, to learn the terminology and the concepts, it’s football, the same game we’ve all been playing since we were kids.’’
But with a little more at stake.
“As (defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) said, every day is an interview and the film doesn’t lie,’’ Hill said. “So right now, my job is to go out every day and try to put my stamp on every rep, making sure to give it everything I’ve got to try and win a spot on this football team.’’
