Jamal Hill

Early life

Hill was born on April 4, 2001, and grew up in Rex, Georgia. He was raised by his mother after his father died when Hill was five years old. He attended Morrow High School where he won three varsity letters on the football team while playing safety. He was chosen first-team all-region both as a junior and senior and also was an all-county choice. He committed to play college football for the Oregon Ducks, having been ranked a three-star recruit, the 38th-best safety nationally and the 44th-best player in the state.

College career

Hill played mainly on special teams as a true freshman at Oregon in 2019, totaling six tackles. He then started all six games in 2020, recording 20 tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions; both of his interceptions came in the Ducks' Pac-12 Conference championship game win against USC, and he was named the conference player of the week for his performance. He was chosen an honorable mention All-Pac 12 choice on the year. Hill appeared in 13 games in 2021, starting seven, and finished with 38 tackles, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. In 2022, he started nine games while appearing in all 13 and had 50 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Hill moved from being a safety to an inside linebacker in the 2023 season, having a sack and a forced fumble in his first start at the position. He played in all 14 games in 2023, starting seven, and recorded 31 tackles, five tackles-for-loss (TFLs), two forced fumbles and two sacks. He ended his collegiate career with 145 tackles, 15 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and two interceptions, while having started 29 of the 60 games in which he appeared.