Niner Noise
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5 USFL Draft picks 49ers may want to watch for 2022

By Peter Panacy

Quarterback Donald Hammond III #5 of the Air Force Falcons rushes against cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. #1 of the Colorado Buffaloes (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Quarterback Donald Hammond III #5 of the Air Force Falcons rushes against cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. #1 of the Colorado Buffaloes (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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Kolin Hill, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Kolin Hill (13) Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers USFL target No. 3: EDGE Kolin Hill, New Jersey Generals

It’s never a bad idea to add another pass-rusher, and the Niners may need to have some more if Dee Ford and Arden Key are both gone next season. Simply put, Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa will need some help in 2022 regardless.

Former Texas Tech EDGE Kolin Hill isn’t your prototypical outside edge rusher in a base 4-3 alignment. Instead, his 6-foot-2, 245-pound frame makes for more of a strong-side (SAM) linebacker who has to rely more on speed and scheme to rush the quarterback.

Kolin Hill College Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
2014 Notre Dame Ind FR LB 4 3 3 6 2.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*2015 Texas Tech Big 12 SO LB
2016 Texas Tech Big 12 SO LB 12 21 11 32 4.0 1.0 0 0 0 3 0 0
*2017 Texas Tech Big 12 JR DL 13 31 12 43 5.0 2.0 0 0 0 4 1 2
2018 Texas Tech Big 12 SR DL 10 20 25 45 7.0 5.0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Career Overall 75 51 126 18.0 10.0 0 0 0 8 1 2
Notre Dame 3 3 6 2.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Texas Tech 72 48 120 16.0 8.0 0 0 0 8 1 2

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 2/24/2022.

Still, a defensive gadget-type player might be of use to San Francisco’s defense, particularly if Hill can excel on special teams, but he does have a modest upside as a potential situational pass-rusher in specific circumstances.

Those resulted in five sacks during his last collegiate season, and he does have the adequate speed to get around slower blockers in front of him.

Reinforcing the linebacker depth chart wouldn’t be a bad idea for the 49ers either.