He jammed us at the line, led us on a merry chase, and nearly shook us with a couple of head fakes there at the end, but Michigan's pursuit of its #1 cornerback for the 2023 class ended exactly how most routes against Jyaire Hill don't: a great big catch.

Hill burst into the greater football world's consciousness at the same time as his school and eponymous small town. A doormat for decades, Kankakee shot all the way to the 5A state championship game in 2021. Hill was the Kays' out-and-out star, playing free safety, running back, receiver, and returner.

It might not seem so from the Michiganless top-five that Hill released a few days ago, but Steve Clinkscale, Sherrone Moore, and Denard Robinson fought a fierce battle to win the star from Kankakee. I know "battled Illinois" doesn't sound like a big deal but Hill had national offers and Bielema had Hill on campus nine times. I don't know if we get here if Purdue doesn't take former Illini DC Ryan Walters away. But we're here. Michigan thinks they've got a five-star at cornerback. Or safety. It's not clear.

Sam Webb said Hill especially clicked with Denard. Sam also said Hill was very impressed by Michigan's NIL pitch and Ann Arbor's food. Sam's in Kankakee right now but when he gets back I'm sure he'll confirm that Georgia's sure they can't defeat Michigan, Corum's returning, my kids are geniuses, and Disney is only going to make Andor-like Star Wars movies from now on. Let's have that kind of day!

GURU RATINGS

There were two rounds of rise for Hill, one when he was a junior leading his team to the championship for the first time in forever, and another this summer after a round of camps. On3 gave him a third bump when the senior film came in. ESPN didn't bother with a second one but they were the only site to go 4-stars the first time so they ended up in line with with consensus.

RATINGS BY SITE
247: 6'1/170	On3: 6'2/185	Rivals: 6'2/180	ESPN: 6'2/170
4*, 92, #212 Ovr #22 ATH, #2 IL	4*, 93, #112 Ovr #15 CB, #2 IL	4*, 5.8, NR Ovr #51 CB, #9 IL	4*, 81, #239 Ovr #34 CB, #3 IL
4.19	4.43	3.87	4.11
COMPOSITE RANKINGS
247 Composite	On3 Consensus	MGoBlog
4*, 0.9248, #194 Ovr #23 ATH, #2 IL	4*, 91.93, #197 Ovr #25 CB, #3 IL	4*, #288/771 Ovr #28/71 CBs since 1990
4.25	4.19	4.16

It's interesting that they all say 6'1" or 6'2" when the articles were saying 6'3". Usually that's recruiting for he's just under 6'2".

[AFTER THE JUMP: There's a vibe.]

SCOUTING

On3 came in highest so they can go first this time. Director of Recruiting Charles Power explained why his site is higher on Hill than the others:

Jyaire Hill is a three-phase playmaker … showing some game-breaking ability as an offensive skill player, defensive back and return man. He dominated the competition level as a junior. …  He is a ball-hawk with plus ball skills and a high interception rate at safety. We also saw Hill recently work out at as a defensive back at Under Armour Next’s Kansas City camp. Hill will need to continue filling out but has good stature at over 6-foot-1 and runs well in the combine setting.

Power's scouting summary calls Hill a "productive, do-it-all playmaker who likely projects as a cornerback long-term":

A taller, thin defensive back measuring in at over 6-foot-1 and around 170 pounds prior to his senior season. A dominant multi-phase high school player. Lines up multiple spots on offense, including quarterback and running back. Also plays defensive back, often lining up safety. Has excellent ball production, picking off 7 passes as a junior. Shows plus instincts at defensive back, quickly triggering to break on routes. Also shows reactive quickness in man coverage in the camp setting. Dangerous with the ball in his hands as a kick and punt returner. Has a long, easy stride. Has posted strong speed marks, running an electronically-timed 4.59 second 40-yard dash and a 10.87 second 100 meter mark as a junior. Will need to continue getting stronger, but has considerable upside given his stature, ball skills and athleticism.

EJ Holland saw the Kays last year when Hill was battling a calf injury and came away making comps to his two favorite sleepers (7 minutes) Rod Moore (who was also a 200m specialist) and Damani Dent.

One delightful discovery of this recruiting has been discovering 247 Illinois writer Jeremy Werner, who really stands out from most of the recruiting reporters in his writing ability, effort level, and passion to inform. Werner also does some scouting—his oft-repeated line on Hill is "rare talent with special length, athleticism and track star speed"—but he also captured Jyaire Hill's whole vibe during a 7v7 event in Champaign last July:

Hill was loud and loquacious during Thursday's 7-on-7 camp at Illinois. A player who barely speaks above a mumble in some interviews, Hill walked into Memorial Stadium with a blaring boombox and an orange Illini “FamILLy” shirt. He screamed Kankakee’s defensive calls, which echoed off the stadium’s bleachers.

When the 6-foot-3 defensive back used his great length and closing speed to break up a pass, he let his opponent know about it. When he caught a touchdown pass on a post route, he let his opponent know about it. When an opposing coach complained about Hill getting too physical in what was supposed to be a simple two-hand touch exhibition — Hill definitely didn’t always abide by those rules — Hill just got more physical … and that let the opposing coaches know about it.

Can we recruit Werner too? The vibe was also on display in the 2021 playoffs, wherein Kankakee made it to the championship game.

At times before, during, and after the game, Hill and several of his teammates danced along to the music over the PA. The Kays played with a visible looseness and energy that kept the key moments in the game from getting too big for them.

"We just have a swagger, you already know," Hill said. "It helps us from playing too tight."

The head scout for 247 in the Midwest, Allen Trieu, came around on Hill last spring, moving him into the top-200 and labeling him a "very high upside player."

Has the desired physical tools for a high-end defensive back prospect. Has good height and length. Track background and verified combine results back up his straight line speed. Has additionally shown his athleticism and open-field ability as a return man and offensive player. Shows good hands and ability to play the ball in the air. Will flash in run support and run through ball carriers. Still needs to get stronger but willingness with contact is a good sign for his future in run support. Projects as a cornerback or free safety. Has the versatility and measureables to do either at a high level, will just need to get to college and focus on a position and continue to develop his technique. But a Power Five starter and likely NFL Draft pick.

Trieu's comps are always as good as his writeups and he didn't disappoint again, going with current Titan CB Lonnie Johnson, because…

I saw Johnson in high school and he was built like Hill is now and was a multi-purpose high school player who played receiver and returned punts but ultimately had the length and athleticism to be an earlier draft pick as a defensive back.

Here's the NFL scouting report for Johnson to go with it:

Long and tall with physical traits galore, Johnson looks the part but lacks the consistency and ball skills expected of a starting NFL cornerback. He has enough athleticism to make it as a cornerback, but he could be tied to a press-and-trail scheme where some of his coverage deficiencies can be covered up. His physical gifts could get him overdrafted, but he can become an eventual starter if he hones his ball skills and finds the right scheme fit.

Lonnie was also a track star in high school, and played for Clinkscale at Kentucky. Trieu's comps are the best! Trieu also got a good look at Hill last fall..

Hill is a long, athletic prospect listed as an athlete because of his two-way ability. We saw that as he had a great juggling catch, a long punt return, and then several stops on defense. His upside is tremendous and he will have a chance to push for four-star status.

…and allowed said push in Kansas City last April when Hill was one of the two MVPs of his position:

He was excellent. A great athlete with length, those qualities were on display as well as closing speed which allowed him to get in front of some passes during a handful of eye-catching reps.

Greg Brooks talked to Trieu and Cooper Petagna in the aftermath when they shot Hill almost to the top-150:

Verified size and speed, ball production on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and strong live exposure on the elite camp circuit fuel Kanakee (Ill.) four-star Jyaire Hill's (No. 158) ascension into the Top247. …

Petagna: "Physical makeup matches the production and sets the foundation for his Top247 candidacy. Type of guy we want in because he checks multiple boxes."

Rivals went on the same journey. In October 2021 Clint Cosgrove noticed "the height and length that college coaches covet." Chicago high school guru Tim O'Halloran was the most excited about the Kays and their…safety?

On a roster that seems to be overloaded with speedy, athletic ballers this season, Kankakee's 3 star ranked S Jy'Aire Hill  is just different. … has impressive speed and quickness, gets in and out of breaks seamlessly and just plays with a very high football IQ. Hill can and will be used all over the field when needed this post-season and will be one of several Kays who are primed for a big post-season.

After the season O'Halloran suggested Hill's pretty raw, and should "continue to add more good size and weight and his game has only begun to develop on several levels." Edgy Tim still named Hill his 2022 preseason MVP:

Hill has impressive physical tools and is a high motor, high energy twitchy athlete who's a different makers for the Kays.

Come the camp circuit MnB's Zach Libby was impressed by the size and caught the vibe.

Hill was one of the more solid defensive backs at the Rivals Camp. His tall and lanky frame gives him a long wing span that bodes well when fighting for the ball in pass coverage. The demeanor changes for Hill once he's on the field, switching from a quiet and humble individual off the field to an aggressive and confident one when playing.

By midseason Cosgrove was calling Hill "one of the most physically gifted defensive players left on the board" and Tim was adding "impressive ball awareness" to his descriptions.

With all these industry takes we don't really need coach quotes but Kankakee's DBs coach Shaquille Powell sounds like you just asked Lloyd Carr about this Woodson kid:

“What does Jyaire bring to the table? He brings the table (laughs). He has great character. He’s a great athlete. He’s a great student off the field. Jyaire is a special kid. The sky is the limit for him. He’s going to be special.”

…except Powell made a comp to a different 1990s DB:

“I would compare him to a Deion Sanders-type. He’s got that character like Deion. He’s a great athlete that can play any position on the field. He plays running back, wide receiver, cornerback and more for us. He’s just an all-around athlete. He’s a dog.”

And as for position:

“I think he’s a safety or corner. He can even spin down to outside linebacker because he’s a hitter, and he can cover. I would say safety, though. He has an eye for the ball. His sideline-to-sideline speed is crazy. He gets after the ball and comes down with interceptions.”

Powell helpfully added they're working on adding weight and wrapping up, because Hill's tackling is more like hitting. This self-scout is over a year old but hits on some of the same themes:

Hill still has a lot of polishing to do with his game, but he's seen some big jumps in his abilities over the last year and knows what he still needs to address moving forward.

"My backpedal, my hands, feet, and my vision have improved a lot," he said. "I still need to work on my tackling and my hips."

WHAT POSITION?

That's a good question. Illinois offered "as a defensive back" but Werner seemed to be saying they saw a free safety:

Illinois … showed on the field (through Kerby Joseph and Kendall Smith) that a free safety like him can thrive in this scheme and boost his NFL stock with the Illini.

Auburn saw a cornerback. Florida had their cornerbacks coach on him but were also talking about "the speedster" as a returner on their punt and kick units. Notre Dame said safety. Oklahoma did as well:

Hill is an impressive defensive back who has ball skills that show up on the offensive side of the ball on his highlights. However he looks natural coming down hill and could be a player who shines as a deep safety.

Michigan agrees that he could play anywhere in the secondary, but has been selling cornerback, in part because they need some help there immediately. Powell on that:

“I think he may move around in the secondary. He can 100 percent be a lockdown corner. We threw him in at corner a few times every game in 1-on-1 situations. He always locked it down. But of course, he had the safety position on lock. We really liked his sideline-to-sideline speed. He flew around, breaking up passes and coming up with interceptions. He can play nickel, too. He can even play on offense. He can really play all over the field.”

I'd guess they'll start him at CB for need, but if he doesn't get on the field early they might look at free safety, since Moten and Paige are getting up there in eligibility.

OFFERS

Hill's offer list includes most of the Big Ten and a lot of heavy hitters outside of it. Washington and Auburn were the other schools that got visits. Notre Dame was involved for a time but pulled in two 4-star safeties before Hill's rise. Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Florida, FSU, Oregon, UCLA, and others were coming in late.

HIGH SCHOOL

If you're a 247 subscriber, Werner's longform piece on Kankakee($) is worth the read. The city was named the worst place to live in America in the 1990s, which earned it some infamy. After that David Letterman donated a pair of gazebos so they could proclaim themselves "The home of the world famous twin gazebos" instead. A few years ago students of Kankakee High tore down one of the gazebos and turned it into a rocking chair that was sent Letterman for his retirement. Their point was Kankakee has really turned itself around in the last few decades.

Their football program certainly has. Under coach Derek Hart, Kankakee is the West Bloomfield of Illinois, a rising Class 5A powerhouse 20 miles south of Chicago that played in the state championship last year. Trieu specifically mentioned that "Kankakee has other recruits coming up the pipeline that the Wolverines will likely recruit." The school produced zero FBS offerees and won just 30 games in the entire decade before Hart so they're light on historical prospects, but they've won as many games in three years since, so this has pipeline potential. 2024 RB/bug Tony Phillips is an early 3-star, and 6'7" LT Marques Easley is 247's #17 OT who got an Illinois offer last night. Jyaire's cousin Naz is an FBS-caliber DB prospect as well.

According to Sam one of the reasons Hill hit it off with Denard is Kankakee has a lot of similarities to Deerfield Beach.

STATS

Maxpreps defensive statistics aren't yet in for 2022-'23. On offense he rushed for 563 yards and 10 TDs (8.3 YPC) with another three TDs and 161 yards as a receiver. As a junior he had 56 tackles and 7 INTs, and ran for 9.6 YPC on 49 carries with 8 touchdowns at RB.

FAKE 40 TIME

You heard Brooks:

Reached 4.5 range in the 40 and recently flirted with the 11.00-second 100-meter threshold (11.01 and 11.08), not to mention long jump reps (21-8+).

Brooks doesn't lie, but "4.5 range" means 4.59, which is probably correct, but I give it two FAKES out of five because he's doing the thing where if you say a thing is $4.99 your brain will convert it to $4.00 instead of $5.00, and then taking it a step further with "range." This one however…

He self-reports a 4.44 forty

gets five FAKES out of five. Hill did break that 11-second barrier in Spring 2022. He also placed 5th in the Junior Olympics in the 200-meter as a kid, one spot ahead of Makari Vickers. More recently he had 200m times of 21.90, 22.06, 22.15, and 22.21.

VIDEO

This is his senior film, which is mostly at WR: 

But watch at least the first play from the Junior film! Rivals camp last April.

ETC

Runs track. Nickname is Suga. Plays as the Ravens on Madden and runs the ball a lot.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

People in the program are really excited about this one, but at the tail end of all the praise there are a lot of notes about how he needs to add weight, get better at tackling, work on his technique, etc. That explains the cap on his rankings—they see a skinny guy who's not yet focused on a college position and don't want to jump to conclusions. They also see a guy who's fast enough (Gemon Green), not FAST.

I wouldn't mind seeing them turn Hill into a safety. A "Bigger Rod Moore" who's applying that track speed to deep zones would be something else. But they have young safeties in the program, so to corner he goes.

Michigan does need a new Gemon Green, and Hill seems to have the size and speed to be that. Right away? If he's learning cornerback from scratch probably not until late in the season. Will Johnson needed half a season to get settled in there, and he was the most polished high school corner to come here since ever. Hill is coming from way behind that, and while he's clearly a gifted athlete, he's not on WJ's level.

The difference between him and Green: the Vibe. The scouts are mixed on ball skills, but the video shows him winning jump balls as a receiver so I don't think that's going to be an issue. Neither is speed, despite what "4.59" makes you think. There are runs in that film when he hits a new gear and the camera loses him off screen because the guy filming it wasn't ready for that kind of burst. It's weird that it's it's 3rd gear—not part of the initial burst or the next one, or the final one. That's a good gear to have for a cornerback.

There's also an overthrown fade that he runs down, intercepts then pitches to a teammate for a big runback. I don't remember smiling this much since watching high school tape since Khaleke Hudson. Hill is Fun to Watch™. When I think about defensive backs from other teams that I'm always coveting, they all have that way about them where they know what to take seriously, and want to fill in the rest with fun. Not zen like JJ. Like Denard.

For many reasons, I expect his freshman campaign may not go well, but he'll get on the field, and down the road he's going to be a special player. I just hope everyone has the patience to get there.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Michigan's about done with 2023. They'll probably still pursue a cornerback in the portal, and [JAMEL HOWARD?] and fight Maryland to the end for Nyckoles Harbor, who's deciding in February. Happy Signing Day!

THE CLASS AS IT STANDS

OFFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
QB	Kendrick Bell	MO	3.5	Ronnie's little brother
RB	Cole Cabana	MI	4.3⬆	Speedy receiver back
RB	Benjamin Hall	GA	3.5⬇⬇	Battering ram with vision
WR	Karmello English	AL	4.1	Go Go Gadget Gallon
WR	Semaj Morgan	MI	3.8	Homegrown Gattis-ian slot
WR	Fredrick Moore	MO	3.7⬆	Crafty Roundtree 2.0
TE	Deakon Tonielli	IL	3.9⬆⬆⬆	Catchy bouncy bballer
TE	Zack Marshall	CA	3.7⬆	1,000-yard receiver in Cali league
OG	Amir Herring	MI	4.0⬇	West Bloomfield's interior mauler
OG	Nathan Efobi	GA	3.8⬇	Ineffable teddy bear
OT	Evan Link	DC	4.1	Agile OT with a Wisconsin offer
DEFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
DT	Trey Pierce	IL	3.8⬆⬆⬆	Polished, rising 3-tech
DT	Brooks Bahr	IL	3.7	Lengthy grow-a-3-tech
SDE	Enow Etta	TX	4.4⬆	Poor man's Rashan Gary
WDE	Aymeric Koumba	FRA	3.6	Long/French athletic freak
MLB	Semaj Bridgeman	PA	4.1	Formerly elite, WLBish
MLB	Hayden Moore	CO	3.5	Versatile tackling machine
OLB	Jason Hewlett	OH	3.9	Hybrid S/OLB/DE
OLB	Breeon Ishmail	OH	3.5	LB/Edge tweener
S	D'Juan Waller Jr.	OH	3.6⬆	Lanky Youngstown boy
CB	Jyaire Hill	IL	4.2⬆⬆	Playmaking CB/S with vibe
CB	Cameron Calhoun	OH	3.9⬆	Polished, not-fast playmaker
PK	Adam Samaha	MI	3.1⬇⬇	Local #6 kicker
TRANSFERS
Pos	Player	Last Sch	Elig '23	In a nutshell
QB	Jack Tuttle	Indiana	Sr/6th	Backup QB
TE	AJ Barner	Indiana	Jr/Sr	Catchy 6'6"/250 off-TE
C	Drake Nugent	Stanford	Sr/5th	The good part of Stanford's OL.
OT	LaDarius Henderson	Arizona St	Jr/5th	ASU G who could play LT
OT	Myles Hinton	Stanford	Jr/Sr	5* brother of Chris, injured '22
WDE	Josaiah Stewart	C.Carolina	Jr/Jr	Danna-sized Tasmanian Devil
WLB	Ernest Hausmann	Nebraska	So/So	Quickster started as a True Fr