Daxton Hill shares his thoughts on Aidan Hutchinson landing in Detroit
Dax Hill was one of the key pieces to the 2021 Michigan Wolverines defense that closed out the season — a magical campaign the fan base had been craving for more than a decade — ranked the No. 8 unit in the country.
Coming off an eye-popping run that nobody predicted, the Cincinatti Bengals opted to bolster their secondary by adding the former Michigan cornerback in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In his first professional press conference, Hill was asked about his feelings toward his former Wolverines’ teammate Aidan Hutchinson, the primary anchor of the defense a season ago, who was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Lions.
“Oh yeah, I mean actually I was in contact with him this morning,” Hutchinson’s former teammate shared in his opening press conference with the Bengals. “It was really cool to see him go back home, because he’s from Plymouth and that’s not too far from Detroit, I’m really glad for him. The season he had, the career he had Michigan I’m really glad how it all turned out for him.”
While Jim Harbaugh entered the 2021 campaign on the hot seat according to most college football pundits, the Wolverines finally put together the type of season the Ann Arbor faithful expect, which included the elusive win over Ohio State and a trip to the College Football Playoff.
Dax Hill on how his brother helped prepare him for the NFL
The Cincinnati Bengals rookie safety already has a mentor with NFL experience in his older brother. A running back for the Baltimore Ravens, Justice Hill was there for his brother throughout the entire draft process.
It was that advice that helped Dax Hill stay calm, and what he believes will continue to help him in his first season.
“He’s definitely been a big supporter in my corner,” Dax Hill said in his introductory press conference. “Especially during these times right now. I’m really relying on him and not just trying to figure it out myself. He’s definitely been a big part of this process for me. Having him go through the same process has been beneficial for me. Going forward, I know what to expect as well.”
Dax Hill appeared in 33 career games at Michigan with 23 starts playing multiple roles in the secondary. He also contributed on special teams. He was an All-Big Ten honoree in 2021, racking up 69 tackles (4.5 for loss), 0.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Justice Hill is a former Oklahoma State player who left Stillwater as the seventh-leading rusher in program history (3,539 yards). He has spent three seasons with the Ravens, though did not play in 2021 after tearing his Achilles. In the two years prior, he totaled 285 yards rushing to go along with two touchdowns in a backup role.
The two brothers grew up together in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they both played at Booker T. Washington High School. In that time, Dax Hill learned a lot from his brother, who was there to give him advice at both the high school and college levels. Now even with both of them in the NFL, it’s clear that not much has changed at all.
“(He told me) just take it a day at a time,” Dax Hill said. “It’s gonna be a long time. You’re gonna hit the rookie wall, that term everyone talks about. I don’t wanna sound cliché, but it’s gonna be a long season. Just take it a day at a time and try to be more involved on the team as time goes on.”