MEQUON, Wis. (AP) -After two seasons where injuries have slowed his progress, former No. 1 draft pick Tye Hill is looking at 2008 as a make-or-break season.
The Rams used the 15th overall pick to select the cornerback in the 2006 draft, hoping he would be the shutdown corner the team lacked. Soon after his arrival in St. Louis, Hill proclaimed his goal of making the Pro Bowl by his second season.
It didn’t happen. Hill was among a large group of Rams who were hurt during last season’s 3-13 campaign.
“I am not going to say I haven’t lived up to expectations this whole time but I just feel like the third year, things are supposed to click and you are supposed to show what kind of player you really are,” Hill said Tuesday as the Rams continued training camp in Wisconsin, preparing for Saturday’s preseason home opener against San Diego.
Hill had three interceptions as a rookie to go with 42 tackles, a start that appeared promising.
Then last season, he suffered broken bones in his lower back on Sept. 13 that kept him out four games. After his return, Hill caught more bad luck when he dislocated his left wrist on Dec. 2, ending his season. Even when he wasn’t hurt, his coverage was spotty.
“I always tell people when I came in as a rookie, I was young so my mouth kind of ran kind of quick,” Hill said. “I should have said I want to be All Pro. I respect more All Pros vs. a Pro Bowler because that’s just a popularity contest anyway.”
In this year’s training camp, Hill has been one of the few mainstays of an already banged up secondary. After missing a couple of practice days with what he called “camp legs,” Hill returned and earned strong reviews from coaches for his efforts.
Fellow defensive back Oshiomogho Atogwe made a big leap in his third season last year and defensive backs coach Ron Milus is hoping for something similar from Hill.
“It will be a key year for Tye, being that it’s his third,” Milus said. “He has to make that step that O.J. Atogwe made after his second year in the league. If he can develop like we want him to, he has a chance to be a quality football player in this league.”
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