Spring Football: Justice Hill Focused on Improving as a Receiver

Justice Hill has accomplished a lot during his two seasons at Oklahoma State. The Booker T. Washington product burst onto the Big 12’s scene as a rookie and led all freshmen nationally in rushing, all while not earning a starting spot until Week 4. He also set a new Oklahoma State freshman rushing record with his 1,142 yards.

He followed that up with a Big 12-leading 1,467 yards and 15 rushing scores in 2017 and entered spring camp as the unquestioned starter and will enter this fall with All-American aspirations and more.

So what could Hill look to do to improve on his already impressive body of work?

“The main thing is route running and being a receiver,” said Hill. “I want to contribute any way I can, so that’s one way they say I could is catching the ball more. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Hill was effective in the passing game as sophomore, hauling in 31 catches for 190 yards and a score. In fact, he was behind only Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner in receptions last year among returning Cowboys.

“It’s not anything new,” said Hill. “We always catch the ball, so being out there and being able to catch more is actually pretty fun.”

In OSU’s high-powered 2017 offense, only James Washington, Marcell Ateman, Stoner and McCleskey were targeted more times than Hill. And he paid those 44 targets off with an efficient 70.5 percent catch rate.

With OSU breaking in a new starting QB this fall, expect Hill to be leaned on even heavier than he was last year, and that’s something he welcomes.

“Every day is a blessed day,” said Hill. “It’s an opportunity to be out here and get better. I look at it the same as the first day I got here. I just want to come out here and work.”

And if he continues to improve in the passing game, he will provide an explosive check down option for whoever is taking snaps in orange.