Smart move, dumb move
Nothing is official yet, but as we all know (and as The Gainesville Sun has reported), junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins and junior free safety Will Hill will be putting their names in the NFL Draft.
For Jenkins, this is a prudent move, a smart decision. For Hill … well, what the heck is he thinking?
Hill had a very sub-par junior season. He made only one play that really sticks out — his interception and near-return for a touchdown in overtime against Georgia. Other than that, he was just there, doing nothing special at a position where the Gators have a history of playmakers making plays (Reggie Nelson and Major Wright being the most recent). Hill was much better as a freshman and sophomore on special teams. Hill is a very gifted athlete and will test well in workouts with NFL teams. But when the NFL guys watch tape on him, they’re going to have some serious questions about him projecting as an NFL player.
And there’s this: Hill was limited to special teams for the first and third quarters of the Outback Bowl for disciplinary reasons, according to a source close to the team.
While Hill is making a questionable decision, Jenkins is making the right one by coming out early. He’s NFL ready.
Although surgery required for a torn labrum kept Jenkins out of the Outback Bowl and could hamper his preparations for the draft, former Florida coach Urban Meyer told The Sun he still believes Jenkins will be a first-round pick.
“They’ve got a lot of tape on him so he’ll be fine,” Meyer said. “They can see him holding down A.J. Green and Julio Jones. Janoris is a great player and he’s a great kid, too. Sometimes he got a bad rap, but he’s a great kid.”
Neither Jenkins nor Will Hill have informed UF of their decisions and have yet to do the required paperwork for leaving school early.
Robbie Andreu has been The Sun’s college football beat writer since 1993. He covered every game of the Steve Spurrier coaching era. The only game he’s missed since he has been in Gainesville is the 2006 Florida State game in Tallahassee. He happily stayed home for that one because of the imminent birth of his second child. Before coming to The Sun in March of 1993, Andreu worked for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel for 10 years, covering a variety of sports, including the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Hurricanes, professional golf and baseball (playoffs and World Series). He also worked in Clearwater and Bradenton. He graduated from UF in 1977.
let Hill go and make room for some kids that will actually work hard and not get in trouble. this kid will flame out in the NFL.
by richie
Will Hill is ready for the NFL. Those guys are always looking for safeties that stare into the backfield and play up when they’re supposed be helping their corners out deep. Almost every single long pass against UF after the UT game came when he was in the game. It happened in the bowl game too. Please let him sign with an agent now so he won’t waffle.
by Rob
Couldn’t agree more Robbie. JJ has top ten talent. WH is out of his mind right now.
by Patrick
Will Hill has been really disappointing. I am almost happy he is leaving. I would assume it has more to do with grades and discipline than his skill as a safety.
by Ufgator482
C’mon Ed, you write as though this is (a) entirely Hill’s decision and (b) entirely football based. WHY did Hill fail to be an effective safety, after many expected him to be better than Major Wright? Work ethic? Off the field problems & bad decisions? Does he have academic problems (i.e. more bad decisions)?
He looks lke he didn’t put in the work from Feb-August, atheltically or as a student of the gamee. He is the opposite of Ahmad Black, a real over-achiever. Hill is gifted but not willing to do the work to be great. What NFL team is going to risk a draft pick on a questionable work ethic? If he doesn’t change then I’m glad to see him go. That nonsense is poison to a team.
by Theologator
oops – Sorry Robbie (thought this was Ed A.’s article!)
by Theologator
Will was no thrill for us…a 5-star guy who was a major disappointment…can you imagine if he busted his butt like Ahmad Black did!
by delawaregator
Will Hill was a complete disappointment. If he gets drafted he might make it 2 years and then come crying cause he gets cut. He won’t have his degree to fall back on. Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
by levelgator
At this point in his career Will Hill reaks of the Me Myself, and I syndrome. He is only concerned about about how he looks on TV. I wish he would take a page from Tyus’s book and cut the dred-locks and get to work with the focus of helping the team and by doing so his will come. JJ is the man and is a fine example of how a 4 or 5 star is suppose to conduct themselves. Practice hard, do your bookwork, be a leader either by example or in your actions and develope into a professional. We all want to see as many Gators in the NFL as possible, but for the long term and for the right reasons.
by CitrusGAtor
In my opinion, WH is one of the biggest disappointments ever! A virtual non-entity the last two seasons. It must be so hard to coach guys like this. So much talent and so much ego. Who is in his ear telling him to jump to the NFL? Oh yea, that is probably a big part of the problem. All the hangers-on wanting a piece of the pie. Give me a guy with some heart any day…. that guy would be Ahmad Black. I can’t be happier for Black and Jenkins. By the way, is Jenkins the best Gator corner ever?
by Kevin
bullseye!
by corey
@Theologator
You should be apologizing to Ed! Rumor control: Will Hill is headed to Div. III Stoneybrook.
by rooferman
I wish him the very best as he moves on to the next level of his career. Some of us gator fans appreciate what you did while with the gators. It may not have been spectacular but you didn’t get arrested, beat your girl, or fail out. Nothing you did brought shame upon the gator name and that seemed to be the norm with a lot of the athletes. So go for it, take care of your family and yourself. I’ll be rooting for you on Sunday’s real soon.
by Aaron
Actually, it could be a dumb decision for both of them, given there might not be a collective bargaining agreement in place for the NFL next year and some or all of the season is in jeopardy.
by Andrew
While I don’t think I would have advised Will to go pro, albeit without knowing jack about his personal life, I think people need to respect the kid’s decision. Even as a late round pick or a free agent, he’ll make a lot more than any of us will ever make.
I think for whatever reason, the coaches just lost this guy this year; he just wasn’t on the same wavelength, and he probably wouldn’t have been on the same wavelenght with Muschamp, maybe they already met and found that out.
I give the benefit of the doubt there to the coaches as to who is to “blame”, and maybe he has some maturity issues, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be successful in the NFL next year or thereafter. He’s only what 21 or 22 year’s old?
He’ll be fine. Thanks Will for your service, good luck in the league.
by Michael
Will Hill just ask Jevan Sneed how leaving early worked out for him.
by ATL Gator
Good luck to JJ, & Hill if thats what they want to do.
by Gatorfaninvolcountry
Will did put a good hit on the guy in the wheelchair.
by PV Gator
Michael,
I see we not only share a name but an outlook on the young man. Well said. I thought I typed this up for a second.
by j
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Maybe Hill has a family to support.
by The RH Factor
Actually, Michael, late-round picks and free agents don’t get the big seven-figure contracts, and their contracts aren’t guaranteed. They will usually not make the team at all, and if Hill’s work ethic and attitude doesn’t change, he’ll be lucky to be taking drive thru orders in a couple of years and telling his ‘boys how great he could’ve been.
by Steve
You are correct. We do not know the details of his life. However, we all saw what we saw on the football field. I hope he succeeds, but as stated earlier, the attitude and work ethic must change drastically. The talent is there.
by Kevin
Great Article! I agree withyour assessment 100%. Go Gators!
by rickyt
“Outback Bowl for disciplinary reasons” … usually where there is smoke there is fire… these reasons will never be public but always
will accelerate an exit…good for him the NFL is a choice.
by gatorn803
I think he feels our secondary depth breathing down his neck.. Elam and others…Best of luck… His choice… His decision…
by Dennis
I dont wish any bad on our players. He didnt shine like we expected, but which one of us really knows the real reason. If it is just work ethic, that will follow him everywhere. I hope he does well. Time will tell.
by Dan Dixon
I AGREE WITH TWO DIFFERENT POSTERS, HILL HAS DONE ON THE FIELD A REALLY GOOD JOB UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, THE YEAR HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BEAST. HE FAILED MISERABLY. IT APPEARS THAT EVERY LONG PASS AGAINST THE GATORS THIS YEAR HE WAS OUT OF PLACE, AND TO ME WAS THE BIGGEST HURT FOR THE DEFENSE THIS YEAR. IT WAS HIS MISQUES THAT WOULD BREAK THE BACKS OF THE REST OF THE TEAM. IF AND ONLY IF HERE RETURNS WITH THE MENTALITY THAT HE HAS NOT LIVED UP TO THE PRESS READINGS OF HIS FIRST TWO YEARS. ACTUALLY HE IS JUST MAKING A MISTAKE LEAVING, HE DOES NOT HAVE THE MENTAL ATTITUDE, DESIRE TO BE THE BEST WORK MENTALITY IT WILL TAKE ON THE NEXT LEVEL TO SUCCEED. HE NEEDS TO GET SOME ADVISE FROM SOME OF HIS FORMER TEAMMATES ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE ON THAT LEVEL. I FOR ONE WILL WELCOME YOU BACK IF THE MENTALITY AND ATTITUDE TO THE TEAM AND THE GAME IS DIFFERENT. YOU NEED UF FOOTBALL NOW MORE THAN EVER TO TURN YOUR SHIP IN A BETTER DIRECTION.
by CREEK GATOR
JANORIS JENKINS is making a good decision football wise, following Major Wright and Joe Haden his stock will be high. He’s a very good shut down guy and they are always in demand in the league.I’m afraid Will needs one more more year with a new attitude to be in the same class as those guys. He has talent but you can’t play the game with just talent, he proved that this year. You have to have the intangibles you hear ever scout, coach, general manager talk about his is lacking. He needs to try and develop in this next year, go back to your freshman year and get that desire to be the best and want to be a big part of the TEAM and make a difference. But congrats to you both if Will doesn’t change his mind.
by SNOWED IN
Haaaa He’s staying!!! I don’t see a down year next year…I see a 10+ winning season!!
by Tallahassee Gator
Well Jenkins is coming back! Smart move man come back lock all the receivers down and be a top 3 pick next year. I hope Jenkins talks to Hill he should’ve been the one returning.
by ATL Gator
With JJ coming back, I have to admit I’m surprised, but I admire his loyalty to the program. He’s a certain first-rounder. As for Will Hill, I think all he sees is the dollar signs. He’ll be great in the combines, but his penchant for taking plays off this past season are an indicator of a lack of maturity and it wiill hurt him keeping a job on a pro team.
by Todd S
So can we call Hill’s career a bust now that he is leaving Florida after doing absolutely nothing??
by PKBlueWave02
@Kevin – NO. Jenkins is not the best UF corner ever. Did you watch any games last year? Haden was the best D-back in the country……..by a mile. I’ve followed Gator football since 1980 and I can’t ever recall a gator CB having a year like he had last year.
by Scooterp
Bye Will! Best of luck!
by Salomi Tommy