Jamal Hill Bio
Jamal Hill (born April 4, 2001) is an American professional football linebacker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 227 pounds, he plays on the defensive side of the ball after transitioning from the safety position he played in college. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, where he spent five seasons with the Oregon Ducks before entering the professional ranks.
Hill was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the 188th overall pick, after a college career that saw him develop from a rotational special-teams player into a starting inside linebacker. His path from a small town in Georgia to a starting NFL roster reflects steady development, position flexibility, and consistent production against top-tier college competition.
Early Life and Background
Jamal Hill was born on April 4, 2001, in Rex, Georgia, a community south of Atlanta. He was raised largely by his mother after his father died when Hill was five years old. Growing up in a single-parent household shaped a grounded upbringing centered on family, discipline, and athletic opportunity.
Hill attended Morrow High School, where he lettered three times in football as a safety. He earned first-team all-region recognition as both a junior and a senior and was also named an all-county selection. Recruiters regarded him as a three-star prospect, ranked as the 38th-best safety nationally and the 44th-best player in the state of Georgia, which led to his commitment to the University of Oregon.
Path to American Football
Hill’s progression through high school set the foundation for his move to the Pac-12 Conference. His all-region honors demonstrated an ability to read plays and cover ground in the secondary, and his senior production drew attention from college scouts. The decision to commit to Oregon allowed him to develop against elite competition while competing in one of college football’s premier conferences.
At Oregon, Hill was asked to play multiple roles across five seasons, beginning on special teams before moving into the defensive secondary and eventually the linebacker corps. That positional flexibility became a defining trait of his development and prepared him for the schematic diversity he would face at the next level.
Jamal Hill Career
Early Career (2019-2020)
As a true freshman in 2019, Hill worked primarily on Oregon’s special-teams units, where he recorded six tackles. The role allowed him to learn the program’s standards and build the toughness required to contribute on coverage and return units, even before he carved out a regular spot in the defensive rotation.
In 2020, Hill started all six games the Ducks played and posted 20 tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. Both of his interceptions came in the Pac-12 Conference championship game victory against USC, a performance that earned him conference player of the week honors and an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection for the season.
Oregon Ducks Breakthrough (2021-2022)
During the 2021 season, Hill appeared in 13 games and made seven starts, finishing the year with 38 tackles, four pass breakups, and a forced fumble. His expanded role confirmed his value as a playmaker in the secondary and helped Oregon compete at the top of the conference standings.
In 2022, Hill started nine of the 13 games in which he played and recorded 50 tackles, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble. By the end of that campaign he had become a reliable presence in the Ducks’ defensive backfield, a player coaches trusted in both run support and coverage situations.
Final College Season (2023)
Hill transitioned from safety to inside linebacker in 2023, a move that showcased his range and football intelligence. In his first start at the new position, he recorded a sack and a forced fumble, signaling that the change could elevate his draft profile.
He went on to play all 14 games that season, starting seven, and finished with 31 tackles, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and two sacks. Over his Oregon career, Hill tallied 145 tackles, 15 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions while starting 29 of the 60 games in which he appeared.
Jamal Hill Professional Career
Houston Texans Era (2024-Present)
Jamal Hill entered the NFL when the Houston Texans selected him in the sixth round, 188th overall, of the 2024 NFL draft. The pick added depth to a Texans defense in the midst of a rebuild, giving the team a versatile defender capable of contributing on special teams and in sub-packages.
Hill signed his rookie contract with the Texans in 2024 and joined a linebacker room that valued speed, tackling reliability, and special-teams toughness. His path to a regular defensive role mirrors that of many late-round rookies, with early production often measured by snaps on coverage units and practice-field growth.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hill’s strengths center on his versatility, range, and tackling discipline. Comfortable as a deep safety, a box defender, and an inside linebacker, he has demonstrated the ability to read run fits, cover tight ends and running backs, and deliver hits in the open field. His special-teams background also gives him immediate value on coverage units, an area in which late-round rookies typically earn their initial NFL snaps.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Hill’s signature collegiate moments were his two interceptions in the 2020 Pac-12 championship game against USC, a performance that earned him conference player of the week recognition. He also posted a sack and a forced fumble in his first career start at inside linebacker in 2023, a milestone that highlighted his positional flexibility and helped shape his path to the NFL.
Jamal Hill Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Jamal Hill was raised in Rex, Georgia, primarily by his mother after his father’s death when Hill was five. The family supported his athletic development, and he credits his upbringing with instilling the discipline that carried him through high school, college, and into the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
Hill entered the 2025 season looking to expand his role within the Houston Texans defense after spending his rookie year adjusting to the pace and complexity of professional football. Coaches have pointed to his special-teams reliability and positional flexibility as reasons to expect more defensive snaps in his second professional campaign.
With another offseason of development behind him and a defensive scheme that values hybrid linebacker-safety types, Hill’s outlook for 2025 centers on earning a more consistent role in sub-packages and on core special-teams units. Continued growth in diagnosing plays and finishing tackles will shape his trajectory toward becoming a full-time defensive contributor in the years ahead.