Troy Hill, not Jalen Ramsey, named one of NFL's top 11 outside CBs
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
Cameron DaSilva
Jalen Ramsey is viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL today, but he wasn’t even the best corner on his own team last season. That title belongs to Troy Hill, who stepped up in a big way after the Rams traded Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib.
Hill has emerged as an underrated defender for the Rams and someone who isn’t easily beat in coverage. Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire ranked him as one of the best zone corners in the NFL, but this week, he took his praise for Hill even further.
Farrar ranked Hill the ninth-best outside cornerback in the league, while Ramsey was left out of the top 11 altogether. Here’s what Farrar said about Hill, praising his breakout performance in the second half of last season.
Hill may be one of the lesser-known names on this list, but the former undrafted free agent out of Oregon made a real impact for the Rams’ defense in his fifth NFL season — especially as a cornerback in zone coverage, where he allowed seven receptions on 20 targets for 118 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and a Positive Play Rate of 35% — the fifth-best rate in the NFL for cornerbacks targeted 20 or more times. Overall, Hill allowed 20 catches on 50 targets for 263 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate allowed of 38%, which is the second-lowest among outside cornerbacks with at least 50 targets, behind only New England’s J.C. Jackson. It’s a testament to Hill’s trail ability, recovery speed, and intelligent aggression that he’s become a positive attribute in a defense that’s looking to (re)build around Aaron Donald.
Ramsey’s absence from this 11-player list is a surprise, but he didn’t have his best season in 2019. He only picked off one pass and broke up five total, making 50 tackles in 12 games between the Rams and Jaguars.
In coverage, Ramsey allowed 45 completions on 68 targets for 549 yards and one touchdown; he didn’t allow a touchdown with the Rams. He got better as the season went on, which makes sense because he was still getting acclimated to the new scheme, and hopefully he’ll carry that over into 2020.
Hill will be tested by opposing quarterbacks often thanks to Ramsey’s presence on the other side, but he showed last season that he’s up to the task of locking down No. 2 receivers. If he plays the way he did in 2019, the Rams defense will be tough to pass on.
