Kylin Hill – Noteworthy
With Williams gone, the running back room truly belongs to Hill now. Hill was Mississippi State’s primary starter in 2018, but it never fully felt like he was the genuine go-to back with Williams – who had run for over 1,000 yards in his junior season – still lingering around. Hill got 32 more carries than Williams, but his total of 117 wasn’t nearly enough considering he averaged 6.3 yards per carry at the end of the year. Fitzgerald ran the ball 221 times, so in essence, he stole quite a few attempts from Hill. It’s almost guaranteed that Thompson or Shrader will not amass over 200 carries. The departures of Fitzgerald and Williams should allow Hill to be a bonafide featured back in his junior season. He has all the tools to be one. He ranked second on the team in receptions last season with 22.
He took his very first catch of the year to the house in State’s first play from scrimmage against Stephen F. Austin. The only thing holding Hill back is how prone he is to getting injured. Hill had a nagging lower-body injury for most of his sophomore season, and it even caused him to miss home games against Texas A&M and Arkansas. Hill isn’t the same player when he isn’t healthy. At 5-foot-11, he relies heavily on his burst and quickness. When he’s hampered, he doesn’t have the pop he normally has when racing by defenders. Being the surefire starter heading into spring practices and beyond, Hill needs to make sure he’s doing everything he can to stay healthy. – The Clarion Ledger