The Cincinnati Bengals selected LSU running back Jeremy Hill in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, and were hoping that he could be a solid backup for Giovani Bernard. Instead of getting a quality backup, they ended up getting a potential superstar in the backfield to help take pressure off of quarterback Andy Dalton.
During his rookie season, Hill ended up recording 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns on 222 carries. Those numbers average out to being an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. He didn’t step into a big role until the first week of November, when he rattled off 154 yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 22: at Paul Brown Stadium on December 22, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** name
Needless to say, there is a lot of excitement surrounding him as the 2015 season continues to draw closer. Cincinnati has been needing a powerhouse running back to take pressure off of Dalton, especially with how much the starting quarterback has struggled over the past few seasons. Hill is the type of running back that can take over a game, and that is exactly how he will be used in 2015.
What kind of production can the Bengals and their fans expect to see from their second-year star?
Obviously he is going to receive quite a few more carries this season than he did in his rookie year. Cincinnati will be starting him in Week 1, and will be feeding him the football early and often each week. Dalton has had his chance to be the workhorse for the Bengals’ offense, and now he is going to see a much more balanced offensive attack.
At 6-foot-1 and 238 pounds, Hill combines a very dangerous amount of speed and power in his game. There aren’t many players that can bring him down by themselves, and he is more than capable of making multiple players miss in the open field. Hill isn’t quite in the same category that Adrian Peterson is in, but he certainly has the type of potential to become one of the NFL’s top running backs in terms of production.
Looking ahead at the 2015 season for Hill, it is hard to predict exactly what type of production he is going to put up. It would be safe to predict that he will receive around 300-320 carries, while totaling at least 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those numbers could be either high or low, but it will all depend on how much they lean towards their running game as they get away from trusting Dalton with the keys to their offense.
There is nothing holding Hill back from being one of the top running backs in the NFL, and emerging as a legitimate superstar. He has all of the tools to become the type of running back that a franchise can build around, and it will be interesting to see how much he is able to help Dalton in the process.
Expect to see him put up a monster season and be exactly what the Bengals and their fans are hoping for him to be. Cincinnati has needed another difference maker on their offense, and Hill is that guy.
