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Stephen "Soon to be Cut" Hill says he grew.. physically.


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http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/05/26/stephen-hill-touts-growth-literal-mental-offseason/

 

As a football player, Stephen Hill says he’s spent this offseason growing. But physically, the Jets wide receiver is still growing too.

The wide receiver looked to be improving during last season’s training camp after a rookie season marred by mistakes and dropped passes. He was drafted as a raw wide receiver out of an option offense at Georgia Tech, and he was supposed to grow by leaps and bounds in his second season. But the results were mixed for Hill.

Part of the problem was a knee injury which ended his season after his strong start.

“I’ve been working hard this offseason — working hard to make sure I stay healthy, getting my legs stronger, squatting more than I have in two years now,” Hill told Metro. “It’s getting better. [i'm] just happy to be back here, getting back to OTAs.

“Basically it’s just a learning curve. Learning, you know, during my rookie season, having so much on my plate. I really didn’t know much. Last year, the learning curve, it helped me out a lot. Being out here especially with [offensive coordinator] Marty Mornhinweg and [wide receivers] coach Sanjay [Lal], they stay on me like two mad dogs.”

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Due to last year ending with a whimper, it is easy to think Hill regressed in his second season. But in the first three games of 2013, he had 13 receptions for 233 yards and a touchdown. Then, his form tapered off, including a three-game stretch during the middle of the year where he was booed and criticized by Jets fans for failing to register one catch.

Of course, during that three-game drought he also wasn’t targeted.

But even though he went through a down stretch and ended the season early with a knee injury, Hill still registered more catches and receiving yards in 2013 than during his rookie year.

Now he heads into this pivotal offseason needing to prove himself again. He has spendt the past few months getting stronger and rehabbing, but also improving his technique. He didn’t drop many passes last year but he struggled to find separation against elite cornerbacks.

Hill’s grown as a player, but literally as well.

“Well physically, I grew an inch-and-a-half the past few months,” Hill said. “I am just 23. I was 6-foot-3 and some change. Now [i am] over 6-foot-4 — definitely added some muscle as well.”

There will be pressure on him, especially with whispers that he might not even make the team. The Jets brought in a marquee wide receiver in Eric Decker via free agency and added veteran Jacoby Ford. They also selected three wide receivers in the NFL Draft.

“It makes me come out there and get better,” Hill said. “There’s a lot of competition coming out there. These guys are pretty good wide receivers. That’s not my problem. I’m just coming out there to do what I got to do to make the team.

“I can’t play like Eric Decker, I can only play like Stephen Hill.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

- See more at: http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/05/26/stephen-hill-touts-growth-literal-mental-offseason/#sthash.mSR9fyHU.dpuf

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“Well physically, I grew an inch-and-a-half the past few months,” Hill said. “I am just 23. I was 6-foot-3 and some change. Now [i am] over 6-foot-4 — definitely added some muscle as well.”

 

Que?[wtf?] Grasping at straws here?

 

I think he's shot, or Dyer's trying to get on the Madoosh Mehta train, maybe get his job... :screwy:

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He was "6'3 and some change"

"Grew and inch-and-a-half"

Now he's "over 6'4"....

Hopefully his catching is better than his math...sounds to me like he just grew some more change.

 

If he was 6'3 and 1/8, and grew 1.5 inches, he'd be at 6'4 and 5/8. Nothing wrong with that math at all, although he could be exaggerating with the inch-and-a-half comment. A 23 year old growing 1.5 inches with in a few months is rare. Im 5'10 and I stopped growing when I was 16.

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I think Bill Walton said that in his junior year in high school he shot up several inches.   23 is a little old.  I wonder if starting HGH could cause that?

I think it's all the "CROW" this young man has had to eat over the past 2 years. Hopefully this is the year he shoves that crow down my throat and most everyone on this board.

 

If this young man can learn the position and use these physical gifts he can be special. In the end, though, all the physical tools can't do squat if you can't figure out where you need to be on the football field and having the concentration and determination to win his matchup. :character43:

#VERNONDAVIS

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I keep forgetting he's only 23 when I rag on how bad he is. There's still a chance he can be good with the right coaching and QB.

He came in as a project. He had one season with Sporano at OC and Sanchez at QB -who we all agree were terrible- and then had to learn a new offense with a new QB in his second year. And he looked improved last year, despite the fact that Geno was horrible. I wouldn't write him off, and I'd be really surprised if the Jets did. I think he's the front-runner to start opposite Decker.

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He came in as a project. He had one season with Sporano at OC and Sanchez at QB -who we all agree were terrible- and then had to learn a new offense with a new QB in his second year. And he looked improved last year, despite the fact that Geno was horrible. I wouldn't write him off, and I'd be really surprised if the Jets did. I think he's the front-runner to start opposite Decker.

Exactly. Not as if Calvin Johnson could have thrived with our QB play in his first 2 years

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This is a guy everyone likes to jump up and down on. 

 

He is only 23 with two years of experience.  This will be his second year in the same offence. 

 

He needs to show some improvement this year.

 

I like that there are plenty of other WR nipping at his heels.  Time to put up or get cut.

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Bottom line is, the guy has to produce this year, if not then he will step aside and others will. The season will not hinge on Hill's production or lack of it. If all his "growth" doesn't add up on the field he will be gone. I hope some of that growth occurred on his knees so that he can actually last a full season.  

 

LL

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I think there was an article last year where Mornhinweg said he felt bad because Hill had knee soreness all year and they kept riding him in practice because so many guys kept getting dinged and went down during the course of the year.  Particularly in practice, I think they said instead of limiting him, they gave him full days constantly because guys were hurt or slouches like Holmes. 

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It would be great if he could turn into something.  Granted what we know now is different from what we wished 2 years ago, but he was drafted to be our #1 in time not a complementary piece. There have been some pretty unproductive WRs for whom the light just went on from out of nowhere (from the fans' perspectives).  Look at Miles Austin.  Granted, injuries robbed him of a consistently productive career.  But just looking him up by the #s, he came into the league in 2006.  Entering the 2009 season he had 18 catches for 350 yards over his 3-year career. Then in '09, without the benefit of starting 10 games, he exploded like T0mShane on a Darrell Bevell poster.

 

Interesting side note about him, for those who don't remember.  Tannenbaum tried to trade for him before the '09 draft, but backed out because Dallas wanted our 2nd round pick. I can understand not pulling the trigger on that, given his dearth of actual production in 3 NFL seasons, but it would have been nice. In particular since we wouldn't have had enough trade ammo left to move all the way up to #5 for Sanchez. 

 

Anyway, Austin did less than Smith until his 4th season.  The guy he couldn't bump out of the #2/starting job for the latter 2 years (and the first 6 games of his 4th season) was Patrick Crayton.  Not an untalented guy, but clearly Crayton was displaceable. Roy Williams also, but that one was tougher given the team's massive investment in him (#1, #3, #6 picks plus a $54M contract with half of it guaranteed -- ouch).

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It would be great if he could turn into something.  Granted what we know now is different from what we wished 2 years ago, but he was drafted to be our #1 in time not a complementary piece. There have been some pretty unproductive WRs for whom the light just went on from out of nowhere (from the fans' perspectives).  Look at Miles Austin.  Granted, injuries robbed him of a consistently productive career.  But just looking him up by the #s, he came into the league in 2006.  Entering the 2009 season he had 18 catches for 350 yards over his 3-year career. Then in '09, without the benefit of starting 10 games, he exploded like T0mShane on a Darrell Bevell poster.

 

Interesting side note about him, for those who don't remember.  Tannenbaum tried to trade for him before the '09 draft, but backed out because Dallas wanted our 2nd round pick. I can understand not pulling the trigger on that, given his dearth of actual production in 3 NFL seasons, but it would have been nice. In particular since we wouldn't have had enough trade ammo left to move all the way up to #5 for Sanchez. 

 

Anyway, Austin did less than Smith until his 4th season.  The guy he couldn't bump out of the #2/starting job for the latter 2 years (and the first 6 games of his 4th season) was Patrick Crayton.  Not an untalented guy, but clearly Crayton was displaceable. Roy Williams also, but that one was tougher given the team's massive investment in him (#1, #3, #6 picks plus a $54M contract with half of it guaranteed -- ouch).

Good points

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