Two years ago, Stephen Hill turned in a sensational performance at the Scouting Combine, showing great natural athleticism and establishing himself as a high draft pick, despite catching just 49 passes in his entire college career.
The Jets ended up taking Hill with their second-round pick that year, but two years later, he hasn’t shown an ability to translate his great athleticism into being a great football player. Or even a good football player.
In his first two seasons, Hill has just 45 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns, and the Jets may have decided that he’s simply never going to be the player they want him to be. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the Jets’ brain trust is skeptical of Hill’s ability to become a reliable player, and the Jets are near the end of their rope with Hill.
Jets G.M. John Idzik wasn’t with the team when the Jets drafted Hill, and it’s entirely possible that Idzik never thought much of Hill in the first place. If so, it would be easy for Idzik to decide to move on -- just as soon as the Jets some better receivers, which is one of Idzik’s top offseason priorities.
If Hill never amounts to much of anything in New York, he’ll be one of those picks that makes Jets fans look back in disgust. Especially considering that the next receiver picked after Hill, two spots later, was Alshon Jeffery.
