.jpg) Hill with theLos Angeles Chargers in 2021 | |||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born: | (1997-09-15)September 15, 1997 (age 27) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | North Little Rock (North Little Rock, Arkansas) | ||||||||
| College: | Ohio State (2015–2019) | ||||||||
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2020: 7th round, 220th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Reanard O’Keith "K. J."Hill Jr. (born September 15, 1997) is an American professionalfootballwide receiver. He playedhigh school football atNorth Little Rock High School inNorth Little Rock, Arkansas. He playedcollege football atOhio State. He is the second all-time leading receiver for the Buckeyes with 201 career receptions.
Playing atNorth Little Rock High School, Hill committed toOhio State on February 4, 2015, choosing the Buckeyes overAlabama andArkansas, among others. Hill had verbally committed to Arkansas in August 2014, but changed his commitment following the departure of Arkansas’ offensive coordinatorJim Chaney.[1]
Coming out of high school, Hill was a consensus 4-star receiver who was named aU.S. Army All-American. Hill was the No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas, and received a No. 16 rating byESPN and247Sports and a No. 18 rating byRivals for receivers. Additionally, Hill was a highly regarded basketball player.[2]
In his first year at Ohio State, Hillredshirted, making him eligible for a fifth-year. After redshirting the 2015 season, Hill had 18 catches for more than 250 yards and onetouchdown in 2016. Hill led Ohio State receivers (10 or more catches) with a 14.6 yards-per-reception average. He played in 11 of 13 games in 2016, missing two with an ankle injury.[3]
During his sophomore season in 2017, he led the team in receptions with 56 and was second in yards with 549. During the game againstPenn State, Hill had a career-best 12 receptions, which was the fourth-highest total in school history.[4] Throughout the season, Hill also served as the team's primary punt returner with 26 returns for 144 yards (5.5 average).[5]
The 2018 season was award-winning for Hill, where he was named as an all-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention for his 70-catch, 885-yard, six-touchdown season. In a win overMinnesota, Hill set a career high with 187 receiving yards, the eighth-highest total in school history, and two touchdowns, off nine receptions.[6] Hill had played in 39 games and caught passes in 34 consecutive games.
Following his junior year, there was speculation that Hill would declare for theNFL Draft. On January 8, 2019, Hill announced on Twitter that he would return saying, “With the guidance and mentorship of Cris Carter and my family, I have decided to take one last ride with my brothers, my coaches, and you, Buckeye Nation!”[7]
| Ohio State Buckeyes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Receiving | |||||
| Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | ||
| 2015 |  Redshirt | |||||
| 2016 | 18 | 262 | 14.6 | 1 | 47 | |
| 2017 | 56 | 549 | 9.8 | 3 | 29 | |
| 2018 | 70 | 885 | 12.6 | 6 | 42 | |
| 2019 | 57 | 636 | 11.2 | 10 | 53 | |
| Totals | 201 | 2,332 | 11.6 | 20 | 53 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft11+7⁄8 in (1.83 m) | 196 lb (89 kg) | 29+1⁄8 in (0.74 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.60 s | 1.59 s | 2.68 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) | 17 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[8][9] | ||||||||||||
Hill was selected by theLos Angeles Chargers in the seventh round with the 220th overall pick of the2020 NFL draft.[10] In Week 3 of the 2020 season, against theCarolina Panthers, he made his first professional reception in the 21–16 loss.[11]
On October 21, 2021, Hill was waived by the Chargers and re-signed to thepractice squad.[12] His practice squad contract expired upon the end of the 2021 regular season.
On February 27, 2024, Hill signed with signed with theWinnipeg Blue Bombers of theCanadian Football League (CFL).[13]On May 17, 2024, Hill was released in early round of cuts at Blue Bombers training camp.
