When the New York Giants made the transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4 defense, it brought upon a slew of changes that could ultimately pay dividends for a team that had the 26th ranked unit defense in the league last year. Drafting defensive end, B.J. Hill, will help the cause.
Hill was selected with one of the Giants’ third-round draft picks, helping solidify the defensive front and provide defensive coordinator James Bettcher with a potential starting tackle. The 3-4 defense requires three down lineman that can take up space and open up gaps for the linebacker to exploit.
How had B.J. Hill performed in training camp for the New York Giants?
The North Carolina State product has quietly made a name for himself in camp, earning first-team reps alongside Damon Harrison, the Giants’ most prolific run-stopper. He will be able to learn and soak in all of the available information from Snacks, who has capped himself as one of the NFL’s best nose tackles.
“B.J. came from a great program. He’s done a great job in college. They had four guys get drafted in the NFL — in the first four rounds, I believe. He was prepared when he came in. So, he just continued to grow when he got here,†defensive line coach Gary Emanuel told reporters on Wednesday. “He’s a good football player, number one. He can hold the point, he can strike, he can separate. He can get off blocks, he can rush the passer. He does everything that you’re looking for in a defensive lineman.â€
Snacks has had nothing but good words to say about Hill, who has apparently managed to open the eyes of his teammates, more-so than the reporters.
“B.J., he’s an interesting character, man. I don’t know if you guys have been watching, but he’s probably the most athletic defensive lineman that we have, and that says a lot,†Harrison said on Wednesday. “He can do a little bit of everything, which is encouraging to see, so I’m excited to get a chance to go out there preseason game one and beyond it and actually see what he can do during gameday.â€
Having a fresh lineman that can apparently provide a major boost of athleticism and ability in the trenches will help the defense operate successfully in the long run. His youth will force him to adjust to certain road-bumps, but having a veteran in Harrison and a sophomore in Tomlinson will help him smoothly take on any challenges that’re presented.