T.Y. Hilton Scouting Report

Published: 21^st Dec 11 4:40 pm

by Chris Ransom
New England Patriots and Dallas Stars Featured Columnist

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Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

T.Y. Hilton Wide Receiver Florida International #4 Senior

Pros

Football IQ: Hilton has the football IQ that teams will look for. He’s geting a degree in Liberal Studies this spring.

Awareness: Hilton has good awareness when it comes to recognizing where field corners, boundary corners, and nickel corners are on the football field.

Intangibles: Hilton has most of the elite intangibles that you look for in your in a wide receiver prospect.

Speed: Hilton has blazing speed. He can just flat out fly on the football field.

Route Running: Hilton is a good route runner. He’s not an elite route runner like Blackmon or Floyd. Hilton can run slant routes, drags, go routes, post routes in effective fashion though.

Soft Hands: T.Y. Hilton has soft hands that enable him to catch the football effectively.

Agility: Hilton has amazing agility when it comes to dodging defenders.

Elusiveness: Hilton has the elite elusiveness that you want in a wide receiver. Hilton is very effective at making defenders miss tackles.

Juking Ability: Hilton will use his juking ability to break tackles.

Spinning Ability: Hilton has the ability to execute spin moves to make defenders miss.

Yards After Catch: Hilton is an excellent chain mover. He simply moves after the catch gaining yards after the catch that can lead to first downs.

Can Be Used as a Flanker Receiver: There were plays where Hilton lined up as Florida International’s field corner by playing the flanker receiver hoping to use his speed to wear down the opposing field corner covering the #1 primary receiving target.

Can Be Used as a Secondary Receiver: Hilton has a teammate in Cory McKinney that is 6 foot 3 216 pounds. On some plays Florida International will line McKinney up in the flanker with Hilton playing a secondary receiver role across from McKinney.

Boundary corners focus on man coverage against secondary receivers that play that #2 receiver role. Hilton tries to draw man coverage on certain plays when lined up as a secondary receiver so he can create some mismatches for Florida International’s passing game to exploit.

Can Be Used as a Slot Receiver: Sometimes Hilton has to move to the slot. On certain plays McKinney will play the flanker with Chandler Williams being lined up as a secondary receiver. This forces Hilton to move inside as a slot receiver going up against nickel and dime cornerbacks in coverage.

Hilton can be used on the inside as a slot receiver using his speed on streak routes in an attempt to create a vertical passing game for your offense.

Catches In Traffic: Hilton learned how to catch in traffic by going up against Anthony Gaitor in practice sessions.

40 Time: Hilton’s 40 time will be off the charts at the 2012 NFL Combine.

Return Man: T.Y. Hilton can be used on kick returns or punt returns as a special teams player.

Tough: Despite getting injured in games, Hilton can return to games.

Work Ethic: Hilton has the work ethic. Extensive practice sessions against Anthony Gaitor a 2011 NFL Draft pick have helped prepare T.Y. Hilton for the NFL.

Motivated: Hilton is motivated and driven to succeed. This is something you cannot coach.

Production: T.Y. Hilton had 72 receptions for 1,038 receiving yards

Cons

Physical Ability: Hilton does not have the physical ability that teams will look for in a wide receiver.

Durability: Hilton has below average durability. Hilton suffered injury as a sophomore. Hilton got injured again in the Beef O Brady’s Bowl against Marshall. His size could also cause some durability concerns.

Size: Hilton is listed at 5 foot 8 175 pounds.

Learning Rate: Hilton will need time to learn an NFL playbook.

Spectacular Catcher: I would like to see more spectacular one handed catches from Hilton.

Jumping: One thing I would like to see Hilton improve in is the jumping. He may get a chance to correct this at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.

Potential: I see a #6 receiver on an NFL depth chart who would be better suited as a returner at this point. If Hilton works for it at the next level he may develop into an effective starting slot receiver.

Right now I’m listing his potential as a con because of his lack of size, the durability, along with the fact that he may need time to learn an NFL playbook. I could easily see Hilton prove me wrong if he works to succeed at the next level. Hilton seems like he wants to work to succeed.

My Thoughts On T.Y. Hilton

Most people say Hilton is a 2nd to 3rd rounder. He performed like a day 3 4th round pick at the Beef O Brady’s Bowl. Hilton will get other chances to move up draft boards at the Senior Bowl and the Combine. Best case scenario he dominates at the Senior Bowl and the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine working his way into the 2nd round kind of like Boise State receiver Titus Young did in the 2011 NFL Draft.

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