BREAKING: Daxton Hill Is Off The Board In The First Round

Michigan safety Daxton Hill has been picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Michigan safety Daxton Hill was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 32 overall pick. Hill showed flashes of his elite athleticism while at Michigan and now he'll get a chance to do so in The Queen City on Sundays.

Hill was a splash recruit as the former No. 1 safety in the country and flipped back and forth between U-M and Alabama before finally arriving in Ann Arbor. While at Michigan he did a little bit of everything. He played as a true safety, but really found his fit as a nickel corner who blitzed often, covered opposing star receivers and made open-field tackle after open-field tackle. He's long for his height, extremely fast and smooth as silk in coverage whether he's playing press man or floating around in a zone.

Hill wasn't overly productive at Michigan in terms of picking off passes, but he's got great ball skills and is certainly a problem with the ball in his hands. His high school coach once said he would've been the best player in the country at several positions if that's where he would've focused; he's that kind of athlete. Now, he'll put those skill on display in Cincy for a Super Bowl caliber team. It really is an ideal landing spot for someone who is versatile enough to play all over the field.

The entire release from the University of Michigan can be read below:

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University of Michigan junior defensive back Daxton Hill became the program’s second first-round draft pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, earning selection by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 31st choice in the annual selection meetings.

Hill joins the Cincinnati Bengals franchise where two former Wolverines are already in the organization: running back Chris Evans and assistant linebackers coach Jordan Kovacs. Hill is the 15th Wolverine to be drafted by the Bengals and the organization’s third first-round pick to previously wear the winged helmet: RB Chris Perry (2004) and CB Leon Hall (2007).

Hill entered the draft after three seasons in the Maize and Blue. He was a three-year letterman who appeared in 33 career games and started 23 contests in the secondary. He amassed 151 tackles during his career, including 7.5 tackles for loss, an assisted sack, three fumble recoveries, four interceptions and 20 total passes defended. Hill posted five or more stops in 17 of his final 22 games, including a career-high 11 tackles against Wisconsin in 2020. In the classroom, he was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

A 2021 All-Big Ten first team selection, he shared the team’s Defensive Skill Player of the Year Award. Hill started all 14 games in the secondary, finishing second on the team with 69 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, an assisted sack, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and a team-best 11 PBUs. He collected five or more stops in 10 of the 14 games.

The 2022 NFL Draft continues Friday (April 29) with the second and third rounds. ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network will provide television coverage starting at 7 p.m.

Notes

• Hill became the 51st Wolverine taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.

• He is the eighth overall player to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Jim Harbaugh took over as Michigan head coach (2016-22).

• Hill is the second defensive back chosen in the first round during Harbaugh’s tenure, joining safety Jabrill Peppers (25th pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2017).

• Hill is the sixth defensive back drafted in the first three rounds during Harbaugh’s tenure and the eighth overall defensive back selected by an NFL team.

• He is the seventh Michigan defensive back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.