Texans cut LB Jamal Hill

Hill (6'0/216) moved to linebacker from defensive back in 2023 and he finished with 31 tackles, two sacks and five tackles for loss while generating 13 pressures. He’s expected to be a contributor on special teams for Houston to begin his time, and his frame suggests he’ll likely be in on passing situations in the early portion of his career.

Hill (6'0/200) and James (6'0/180) landed themselves in hot water this summer when they were arrested and charged with three counts of eckless Endangering, Assault, Unlawful Discharge Firearm, and Disorderly Conduct after firing an AirSoft rifle at pedestrians in early August. Both sophomore have apparently done enough to return to the team, as HC Mario Cristobal announced that both will be available for Saturday’s showdown with the Buckeyes. On the team’s updated depth chart, Hill is listed as the backup to Bennett Williams at the Ducks’ STAR hybrid position, while James is listed as one of three possible starters at boundary corner.

Hill and James are each facing three counts of reckless Endangering, Assault, Unlawful Discharge Firearm, and Disorderly Conduct. A pedestrian who was shot in the face late Tuesday night called Eugene Police, and two other witnesses reported similar experiences to law enforcement officials. Hill, a sophomore safety, and James, a sophomore cornerback, are both projected starters for the Ducks. HC Mario Cristobal has now announced the two defensive backs are suspended indefinitely with Bennett Williams and Dontae Manning taking over their starting spots in the first training camp practice since the incident. The Ducks face Fresno State on September 4 before traveling to Columbus to take on the vaunted Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 2.

Per the report, Hill and James are each facing three counts of reckless Endangering, Assault, Unlawful Discharge Firearm, and Disorderly Conduct. A pedestrian who was shot in the face late Tuesday night called Eugene Police, and two other witnesses reported similar experiences to law enforcement officials. Hill, a sophomore safety, and James, a sophomore cornerback, are both projected starters for the Ducks.

Hill (6'1/204) left Wednesday’s practice early in the session due to an undisclosed health issue, and he did not suit up at all on Thursday. The freshman was one of two defensive backs either limited or absent on Thursday, as backup CB Daewood Davis was in pads but was limited contact-wise. Hill is looking to work his way into the Oregon secondary rotation at nickel corner this season.

Hill (6'1/192) had himself a fun little visit to Colorado this past weekend as he checked out the wares of new Buffs HC Mel Tucker. If CU is to land him, they’re going to probably have to do it coming from behind. Rivals analyst Chad Simmons passes along that Oregon seems to have worked their way into the pole position for Hill’s pledge. We’ll see if the Ducks can seal the deal this weekend. Rivals ranks Hill as the No. 66 prospect in the state of Georgia for the 2019 cycle. He hails from Morrow.

Hill was one of the top safeties left on the board, and while he only has the three-star designation, he had offers from schools like Tennessee, USC, and Colorado on top of the Ducks. He took an official visit to Eugene last weekend, and that visit obviously went well. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Hill is ranked the 66th prospect in the state of Georgia, and the 45th best safety by 247 Sports.