One NFL writer recently called Tyreek Hill overrated and compared him to Tavon Austin more than T.Y. Hilton. Which is the more accurate comparison?
Tyreek Hill had an incredible rookie season.
For a suspect fifth round pick, expectations coming into the 2016 NFL season were low for Hill, despite his incredible speed, since the lion’s share of the attention was solely (and rightfully) on his history as a perpetrator of domestic violence. Immediately after the draft, negative columns were penned on a local and national level that questioned the pick and accused the Chiefs front office of being tone deaf to such serious issues.
Then the games began. It didn’t take long for the jeers to turn, for many fans, to cheers as Hill’s league-best speed to take over games. Suddenly the Chiefs had the sort of weapon on return units that could turn a game. Every punt and kick was an opportunity for the Chiefs to score. By midseason, Hill had become a gadget on offense, a player who simply had to be accounted for by the defense before the snap.
By the end of 2016, many had forgotten or forgiven Hill. At the very least, a large portion of Chiefs Kingdom had mixed feelings about a player with an arrest record who also has been on his best behavior, on and off the field. It helps that the final tally included 12 touchdowns between receiving, rushing and returns.
Moving forward, the Chiefs have big plans for Hill. Andy Reid has already admitted as much, noting that he will be incorporated into the offense full-time. The team has removed kick returner from his resume (while keeping him on punt returns for now) in order to accommodate the change. Jeremy Maclin was also released. The preparation has led to projections for a big year for Hill in K.C.
But one NFL writer doesn’t believe the hype. In fact, he has one word for Tyreek Hill: overrated.