Titans Sign Round 2 LB Anthony Hill Jr.
The Titans are one step closer to getting their entire 2026 draft class under contract. They announced the signing of former Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. on Friday.
Hill, a second-round pick whom the Titans chose 60th overall, inked a four-year contract worth around $8.11MM. A total of 75.46% of the deal is fully guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. Last year’s 60th pick, Broncos running back RJ Harvey, received 63.23% in full guarantees.
Tennessee entered the draft as a potential first-round landing spot for former Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, but it instead used the No. 4 overall pick on wide receiver Carnell Tate. After addressing receiver and EDGE (Keldric Faulk, No. 31) with their first two choices, the Titans moved up nine spots in a second-round trade with the Bears to nab a potential long-term starting linebacker in Hill. He ended up as the last off-ball LB taken before the fourth round.
Hill is entering the NFL on the heels of a decorated three-year run at Texas, where he was a two-time second-team All-American and a two-time first-team All-SEC performer. The 6-foot-2, 238-pounder totaled 249 tackles, 31.5 TFL, 17 sacks, eight forced fumbles and three interceptions over 40 games. A hand injury limited Hill to 10 games last year, but he otherwise enjoyed a healthy college career.
With first-year head coach Robert Saleh at the controls, Hill is seemingly walking into a solid situation in Tennessee. The defensive-minded Saleh has an effective track record with linebackers, having coached up the likes of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Quincy Williams in recent years. As a rookie, Hill will vie for playing time as part of a group that includes returning starters Cody Barton and Cedric Gray. Barton was the Titans’ lone player to log a 100% defensive snap share last year, while Gray ranked second in that category (86.9%).
With Hill under contract, Faulk is the last unsigned member of the Titans’ eight-rookie class.
Titans Were Down To Carnell Tate, Arvell Reese At No. 4
MAY 4: Uncertainty about Reese’s positional fit in Saleh’s defense was a factor in passing on the Ohio State linebacker, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The team’s draft board reflected that concern with Tate ranked above Reese.
Still, the Titans may not have expected to be faced with that decision. Reese was long projected as a top-three pick, but the Jets and Cardinals went with David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love, respectively. Had Bailey fallen to Tennessee, the team may have opted for him or considered a trade back with the goal of adding either the Texas Tech edge rusher or Tate later in the top 10.
MAY 1: The Titans surprised many by taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that significantly shook up the top 10.
Tennessee was widely expected to draft a top defender or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with their first pick. When the Cardinals took Love at No. 3, it seemed that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh was free to handpick a new star for his defense. Instead, the team went with Tate.
Their decision was multi-faceted. First was a different assessment of Tate’s athleticism than the public consensus. The Titans timed Tate’s 40-yard dash at the Combine “in the mid-4.4s” as opposed to his official time of 4.53 seconds, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In their eyes, that rounded out the profile of an otherwise complete wide receiver with a full route tree and excellent skills at the catch point.
Getting help for former No. 1 pick Cam Ward was also a priority, one that encouraged Tennessee to go with an offensive playmaker rather than a defensive one. Tate largely played second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2025, which many evaluators saw as a negative – he could not even be the top target on his own team. The Titans, though, had a different takeaway: Tate would have a place in whatever offense they build over the next several years, whether it be as a WR1 or a versatile part of a deeper group.
Had Tate not been available, Breer adds, the Titans would have gone with his teammate, linebacker Arvell Reese. The team badly needs to strengthen their pass rush, especially at defensive end even after reuniting Saleh with Jets 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson. Reese was projected to convert into an edge rusher in the pros, but he might been a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a defensive end in Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.
Tennessee also drafted Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round and could deploy him in the role they envisioned for Reese. Hill has a slightly smaller frame and lacks the same bend and agility as Reese, but he could still be used creatively by Saleh.
The Titans’ decision highlights a false trend in the NFL: teams who hire a new head coach prioritize their side of the ball with their first draft picks. Despite the symbolism of such a move – letting a new leader select a prospect that fits his scheme, style, and culture – the process rarely plays out that way. General managers are still focused on value and following their draft board while incorporating coaches’ feedback.
This year, only four of the 10 teams with new head coaches used their first pick on the coach’s side of the ball. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza for Klint Kubiak – though that likely would have been the case no matter who they hired – the Cardinals drafted Love for LaFleur, the Browns got both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion for Todd Monken, and the Steelers got Max Iheanachor (instead of Makai Lemon) for Mike McCarthy.
But, just as the Jets went with quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021, Saleh’s first year in New York, the Titans went with a wide receiver who was the top-ranked player on their board. That is not to say Saleh was not on board for those picks, or that head coaches in general prioritize their side of the ball. Another new defensive head coach, Jesse Minter, urged general manager Eric DeCosta to select guard Vega Ioane over edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., and the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins took offensive lineman Kayden Proctor. In fact, there is an argument that the head coach’s expertise on one side of the ball means there should be more talent investment in the other.
At the end of the day, the Titans nabbed their desired prospect for their first pick in Tate, and Saleh still got a defensive lineman when the team traded back into the first round to select Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
Titans Obtain No. 60 From Bears, Draft LB Anthony Hill Jr.
The Bears are moving out of No. 60 overall, giving the Titans that selection. Tennessee is sending Chicago Nos. 69 and 144, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
Tennessee is adding Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. with the late second-rounder. Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 37 overall prospect, Hill lasts to 60 and will head to a Titans team that was closely linked to Sonny Styles in Round 1. Tennessee instead chose one of Styles’ teammates, wideout Carnell Tate, and addressed its LB room tonight.
Hill joins holdovers Cody Barton and Cedric Gray. The Titans signed Barton last year, with GM Mike Borgonzi in place but Chad Brinker controlling the roster. They added Gray in the 2024 fourth round, when Ran Carthon was GM and Brian Callahan HC. Saleh and Borgonzi are now runnign the show in Nashville, and it would stand to reason Hill will be viewed as an early-career starter — if now a Week 1 first-stringer.
Hill is the first off-ball linebacker to be a Titans draftee in the first or second rounds since Rashaan Evans‘ Round 1 arrival eight years ago. Saleh also did not draft a linebacker on Days 1 or 2 during his Jets run, though he has extensive experience developing standouts at the position — as the careers of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Quincy Williams show.
The 6-3, 238-pounder filled the stat sheet during Texas’ run to the CFP semifinals in 2024. Hill totaled a team-leading 113 stops, along with an SEC-most 16.5 tackles for loss. He added eight sacks and four forced fumbles. That production led to a number of accolades, including first-team All-SEC and All-American honors. Hill remained highly impactful against both the run and pass in 2025, although a broken hand left him sidelined for the final two games of the season.
This came after Hill earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2023. The Titans are certainly acquiring an experienced college LB, who finished his Longhorns career with 17 sacks despite playing just three seasons. Despite this experience, Hill is just 21. The Titans will gauge his readiness beginning in rookie minicamp.
Cowboys Arrange Several Pre-Draft Visits
Like all teams, the Cowboys are busy lining up visits and workouts with prospects in this year’s draft. A list of early targets in Dallas’ case has emerged. 
Omar Cooper Jr. is set to visit the team today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Indiana wideout is one of many receiving first-round consideration. Investing heavily at the WR position with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in place would come as a surprise, although Pickens’ future beyond 2026 is unclear. The Cowboys own picks 12 and 20 in this year’s draft.
Adding on defense is widely expected to be a priority for Dallas after the team’s struggles on that side of the ball in 2025. Several moves have already taken place early in the new league year, and more are no doubt coming via the draft. Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS notes the Cowboys had dinner with linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in advance of Texas’ Pro Day. Logan Wilson recently retired, while Kenneth Murray is unlikely to be retained. Jack Sanborn departed in free agency, meanwhile, creating the need for starting options and depth at the second level of Dallas’ defense.
Hill, who racked up 31.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks in three years with the Longhorns, could certainly help if the Cowboys choose to draft him. The team’s secondary has also been a focus so far in free agency, with multiple cornerback additions being made. That has certainly not stopped interested from being shown in some of the top prospects at the position, however.
The Cowboys will also spend Thursday hosting Miami’s Keionte Scott, ESPN’s Jordan Reid reports. Scott began his college career in the SEC, spending three years at Auburn. His transfer to the Hurricanes proved impactful for team and player. Scott returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns in 2025 while adding a pair of forced fumbles, 13 tackles for loss and five sacks. One of this year’s top slot CB options has also lined up a visit with the Commanders.
In addition to their two first-round picks, the Cowboys own six other selections in April’s draft. That will provide the team with ample opportunity to add one or more impact rookies while aiming to avoid a repeat of how last season played out.
Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. Declares For Draft
Anthony Hill Jr. will be among the prospects available in April’s draft. Per an announcement from the Texas linebacker, he has elected to turn pro. 
As a true junior, Hill could have remained in place with the Longhorns for 2026. Instead, that year will represent his rookie season in the NFL. Hill will no doubt be among the top options at the linebacker spot during the pre-draft process.
In 2023, Hill emerged as a key presence on Texas’ defense, making 14 appearances and six starts. He was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and also took home Freshman All-American honors. Expectations were raised in Hill’s case for his follow-up seasons with the Longhorns moving to the SEC, and he delivered.
The 6-3, 238-pounder filled the statsheet during Texas’ run to the CFP semifinals in 2024. Hill totaled a team-leading 113 stops, along with 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and four forced fumbles. That production led to a number of accolades, including first-team All-SEC and All-American honors. Hill remained highly impactful against both the run and pass in 2025, although a broken hand left him sidelined for the final two games of the season.
Now, Hill’s attention will turn to the pre-draft process. If things go well on that front, he could be one of the top defensive prospects in the 2026 class. There is of course plenty of time for things to change, but for the time being Hill is ranked 33rd overall by ESPN and fourth in terms of linebackers.