This linebacker draft prospect could fill a huge Cowboys need
We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
Anthony Hill Jr.
LB
Texas Longhorns
Junior
5-star recruit
6’2”
238 lbs
History
As a true freshman, Hill played all 14 games with six starts and finished with 66 tackles, eight TFL and five sacks. His first national statement came in Week 2 at Alabama, where he had six tackles, two TFL and two sacks, with the second sack coming on Alabama’s final offensive play. This was an early snapshot of his closing burst and blitz finishing.
In 2024, Hill became the heartbeat of the defense and one of the SEC’s most productive off-ball playmakers: he registered 113 tackles, 16.5 TFL, eight sacks, one INT and four forced fumbles across a 16-game season. One of his most impressive stretches came midseason, when he earned national weekly recognition off a high-impact performance that combined run-stops, pressure and turnover creation.
In 2025, the season becomes more about availability and context. He played 10 games and produced 69 tackles, seven TFL, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. His early-season high point for pure chaos was the San Jose State game, where he made two forced fumbles. The issue that shaped the back half of the year was a broken bone in his hand suffered against Georgia in mid-November. It was significant enough to put his availability for the following week in doubt, and the injury became a major storyline around his late-season stretch.
2025 Statistics
563 Defensive Snaps
69 Total Tackles
7 Tackles for Loss
4 Sacks
2 Interceptions
1 Pass Breakup
3 Forced Fumble
1 Fumble Recovery
3 Missed Tackles
2 Penalties
Snap by Postion
On The Line- 7%
Box- 74%
Slot- 17%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
2024: First-Team All-SEC
Second-Team All-American
2025: First-Team All-SEC
Second-Team All-American
Scorecard
Overall– 83.4
Speed- 91
Acceleration- 77
Agility- 83
Strength- 62
Tackling- 85
Run Defense- 85
Pass Rush- 71
Coverage- 67
Discipline- 96
THE GOOD
- Fantastic play speed and range
- Explosive downhill trigger as a run defender
- Blitz weapon with real burst and hand usage to win matchups
- High-end tackling when he’s on schedule
- Plays with violence and finishing power
- Coverage utility in modern nickel is good
- Instincts flash constantly and shows to be a good communicator
- Production profile over multiple seasons, dating back to high school
THE BAD
- Can get caught when guards climb and is too easily washed out
- Bites hard on run looks and pulled out of position in coverage spacing on play-action
- Plays overly aggressive on every play
- Will overrun plays or trigger too early, creating cutback lanes if he guesses instead of staying patient
- Man coverage is still a work in progress
- Coverage consistency is notably mediocre relative to his athletic ceiling
- Tackling finish refinement needed as he can latch rather than drive through contact
THE FIT
Hill fits best as a three-down WILL in a fast, one-gap defense. His peak is with a front that keeps him clean and lets him trigger downhill, run sideline-to-sideline, and be a pressure piece on simulated pressures rather than a static block-taker. The ideal usage keeps him moving and minimizes prolonged one-on-one wrestling with guards, in that role he profiles as a high-impact centerpiece linebacker who can produce tackles and negative plays.
SUMMARY
Anthony Hill Jr. is a modern, high-impact linebacker who wins with speed, violence and range as an explosive run and hit defender who can erase space in a hurry and create negative plays as both a blitzer and a pursuit tackler. His best traits on tape shows how fast he triggers downhill, how much ground he covers laterally, and how often he shows up behind the line of scrimmage. He plays with real urgency, finishes with force, and has the athletic profile to stay on the field in nickel while matching running backs or tight ends and closing windows in zone.
The main development points to note are the issues when he’s taking on and shedding blocks from climbing guards, staying disciplined with eyes and leverage against play-action, and tightening coverage technique so he’s more consistently efficient rather than just explosive.
Overall, he projects as an early NFL starter with Pro Bowl upside in an attacking, one-gap scheme that keeps him clean and lets him play fast.
PRO COMPARISON
Devin White
BTB OVERALL RANKING
40th
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
49th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)
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