Daxton Hill

Context

Michigan plays him all over the field, but mostly in the slot, sometimes in the box and rarely as a single-high FS. They use him on many different assignments.

Coverage

He has elite range. Tested off-the-charts as a High Schooler, that speed translates to the field with play speed because of his outstanding instincts. He doesn’t often play center-field but when he does, he can get to routes outside the numbers from single-high against even elite competition. He reads the Quarterback and understands the whole structure of the defense, he is able to use his peripheral vision to see Wide Receivers and quickly understands route development. Knowing where he has help, he is able to get a jump on the ball and closes with remarkable quickness.

His ball skills, whether playing from a single-high or two-high safety spot, or in man coverage, are excellent. He can track the ball both short and deep, finds the ball and gets to it with good timing. He is a vocal leader on the back-end, you can see him use his knowledge and awareness to direct traffic and clearly organizes his fellow Defensive Backs.

His backpedal is smooth initially but once at speed, he becomes vertical and is a little too up and down. He has the long speed to be able to recover on deeper out-breaking routes when the QB has to drive the ball outside the hashes but on more in-breaking routes like post routes, his high pedal can cause issues for him at the break-point when he then struggles to transition efficiently and a ball delivered on time to an accurately run route can beat him deep. His transition mechanics require some work in technique, especially when making turns going backwards. He is excellent in more flat foot reads when he has to drive laterally because of his excellent lateral explosion and closing speed.

He has been asked to play a lot of Man Coverage. He is more effective in off-man when he is able to sit back, play more flat-foot reads, use his lateral explosion and read the QB. When he is locked up in press man and he has to go backwards, some of the transition mechanics issues already mentioned can come into play. If the Quarterback and Wide Receiver aren’t perfect with their own timing, his play speed can help him recover but he can drop out of in-phase position. He competes against more elite competition when in the slot in press man but he can be beaten here.

Outstanding blitzer.

Run Support and Tackling

He takes outstanding angles to the football, he is competitive and tough. He has no problem tackling much bigger bodied Running Backs with excellent technique. He engages his gap with aggression and speed and shows no hesitancy in taking on bigger blockers and shows good play strength for his smaller frame. He is a good open-field tackler, using strength and technique.

SUMMARY
Outrageous range, instincts and ball skills. Takes great angles to the football and plays with aggression and toughness. Some man coverage deficiencies

PRODUCTION
JR: 1 Sack, 2 QB Hits, 71 Total Tackles, 2 INTs, 6 PBUs
SO: 50 Total Tackles, 1 INT, 4 PBUs
INJURY: None

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 5
Intelligence 5
Versatility 5
Grit 4
Scheme 4