These Are The Best NFL Fits for Texas Longhorns Star Anthony Hill Jr.

Anthony Hill Jr. has spent the last three seasons as the leader and tone-setter of the Texas Longhorns' defense. Now, he is taking his talents to the NFL Draft.

On top of his impressive tape, Hill excelled at the Combine and looked great at Texas' Pro Day. With the Draft just two weeks away, all he has left to do is to meet with teams.

Here are which of those teams will make the most of his skill set and which are most likely to grab him.

Best Fits

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 1: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks won the Super Bowl on the back of head coach Mike Macdonald's "Dark Side" defense, which actually became more simplistic as the season wore on.

Seattle keeps five defensive backs on the field at all times, using rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori as a pseudo-SAM linebacker, moving up to the line of scrimmage against heavier offensive packages. That frees up current WILL linebacker Drake Thomas to crash downhill, usually into the B-gap, with reckless abandon.

Hill would fit like a glove into the role that Thomas plays, especially given the amount of run-blitzes the Seahawks send Thomas on. Hill benefitted greatly from playing the same assignments in Austin.

While the Seahawks just extended Thomas and have more pressing needs, general manager John Schneider has never been shy about adding to an embarrassment of riches in the front-seven.

No. 2: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have had the NFL's most forward-thinking and creative defense since defensive coordinator Brian Flores was hired in 2023. They play a positionless brand of football that requires every player to be athletic and multi-faceted.

While Hill is more of a 'normal' linebacker than Flores typically employs, he certainly has the speed and intelligence to play in the complex scheme.

Hill would benefit from the constant blitzing and unique pass-coverage assignments of Minnesota's defense while Flores would get the most out of Hill's tools and hide his deficiencies.

Most Likely Landing Spots

No. 1: Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys' brass was at Texas' Pro Day, and so was Hill's representation.

Here in Austin for Texas Pro Day — and no surprise, but a big contingent is out here.

That includes multiple Cowboys scouts and Cowboys VPP Will McClay. It also includes Athlete’s First agent David Mulugheta, who represents Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Cowboys have interest. pic.twitter.com/nnVpywDsjr
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) March 24, 2026

Dallas also sent head coach Brian Schottenheimer and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, so it is safe to say they got a good look at Hill.

The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in football last season and are particularly weak in the second-level. They currently employ just three off-ball linebackers, one of whom is former Longhorn DeMarvion Overshown.

Parker has said that he will fit his scheme to his players and Hill is exactly the kind of player that Dallas can build a defense around.

The Cowboys have picks 12, 20 and 92, which are both above and below Hill's projected range of picks 30-50. Still, they need to start building a defense now, and getting a home-grown player like Hill would be the perfect way to do so.

No. 2: New York Jets

The Jets had a defense that was just as bad as the Cowboys' in 2026 and while they do not need linebacker quite as bad as Dallas does, it is still a hole to fill on their roster.

They have been mocked as drafting Hill often, which would make sense given that head coach Aaron Glenn said that they will be using multiple fronts in 2026. Hill is at his best as a WILL, but he could also be used a MIKE in 4-3 fronts in between current Jets linebackers Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood.

The Jets have picks 16, 33 and 44, the last of which ironically came from Dallas in the Quinnen Williams trade. Those picks fit squarely in Hill's range, giving them multiple shots at turning a new leaf on their defense with Hill at the center.

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