2022 Defensive Tackle Tygee Hill Has Ties to the LSU Football Program, Updates Recruitment Status
Growing up in New Orleans, 2022 defensive tackle and current star at Edna Karr High School, Tygee Hill was a devoted LSU fan. Being from such an LSU dominated part of the country, naturally, there are a few ties Hill has to current and former players on the Tigers roster.
"That's the hometown team, of course you go around hearing about LSU and naturally just rooting for them," Hill said. "I really started watching LSU heavily when Leonard Fournette went there and we played on the same park ball team so I've met him before.
“He always was humble, he never talked a lot and really just always seemed focused."
Fournette started playing park ball for a team called "Goretti" and later described it as an experience where he started to fall in love with football. Hill also grew up playing for "Goretti" and it's helped him turn into the No. 9 ranked defensive tackle according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
The connections don't stop and end with Fournette either. Current LSU outside linebacker Andre Anthony is an Edna Karr graduate and talks with Hill frequently about the LSU experience.
"He always speaks highly of coach O and how he takes care of him and all of the players," Hill said. "When we talk about LSU and playing there, he always says it's real competitive, they compete all the time. Your spot is never solidified, it's always a fight for your spot."
LSU and Alabama have been the two programs with the most interest in Hill, who recently picked up an offer from Georgia as well. Hill says he plans on visiting all three of those teams in the summer and fall with the possibility of Michigan being thrown into the mix as well.
Ideally, Hill would like to have a general sense, whether it's a top-three or a commitment, the summer before his senior year, which is still over a year away.
"I really want to just try and touch base with everybody that's recruiting me," Hill said. "There's only so much you can talk about over the phone so getting to see those schools up close and personal is very important to me. I'm still in the feeling out mode for all of the interested teams."
That's not to say Hill has never been to Baton Rouge before. The last time Hill was able to catch a game at LSU was the 50-7 home finale win over Texas A&M on senior night.
His main source of contact has been graduate assistant Christian LaCouture, who was a defensive lineman at LSU just a few short years ago. That knowledge of recent history from LaCouture has been a big selling point for Hill.
"He says he likes my competitiveness, my acceleration, getting those second and third bursts to the quarterback," Hill said. "He tells me LSU has been better ever since he left and says that coach O treats everyone like his son so it's more of a family oriented team."
With everything from recruiting visits to gyms all shut down for the time being, Hill said his primary focus has been working out by doing a lot of body exercises. Whether it's push ups, sit ups, planks or waking up every morning for a three mile run, Hill feels he's doing all he can to make the best out of a tough situation.
The hard work Hill's putting in now he hopes will pay off on the field heading into a crucial junior season. His run stopping abilities are pristine but he now wants to be more consistent at getting after the quarterback.
"I want to showcase my pass rush and get some more pass rush moves in," Hill said. "I want to show everybody I'm not just a run stopper and that I can pass rush to. I think I'm very good at understanding my opponent, I watch a lot of film which makes it easier for me to predict how a player thinks and what he's going to do."
While his future is far from decided, Hill has thought about what it'd mean to him to one day suit up for the purple and gold.
"It would definitely be a good feeling, hometown and of course LSU is going to be on every TV every Saturday in Louisiana," Hill said. "My family will be there for support so if that happens that way, I think it'd be a great thing."
