Nebraska football's breakout star DB poised to soar into the NFL's second round

There may not be a Blackshirt on the Nebraska football defense that carries higher expectations this season than Tommi Hill. Last season, the defensive back was not only one of the best in Lincoln and the Big Ten but among the best in the country.

He's someone that the Huskers' defense will lean on in 2024. And he has seemingly only gotten better from his breakout 2023 campaign. But don't just take my word for it. Tommi Hill is getting lots of praise from some of the most well-known analysts from around the sport.

Count NBC Sports and Pro Football Focus (PFF) analyst Connor Rogers among those who are definite fans of the Nebraska football defensive back. Rogers recently gave his take on Tommi Hill and said he believes the DB could go as high as the second round in next year's NFL Draft.

Nebraska football's Tommi Hill slated for high draft pick

Speaking on the podcast NFL Stock Exchange, Rogers expressed his admiration for Hill and explained why he believes he could be one of the best corners in the draft next spring.

"I think the way he's built," Rogers said. "The way his mental makeup is, the ball skills, Tommy Hill can be a second round pick. He's that talented."

His performance in 2023 would certainly hint at the Huskers' star having a great 2024. While he had just 26 tackles, he had 9 passes defended and 4 interceptions. He also had 304 coverage snaps and allowed just one passing touchdown.

According to PFF, he posted a total rating of 87.1 and allowed just a 40.4 Passer Rating. This was a rather impressive improvement over 2022, when Hill showed flashes of being a strong cover corner.

Now, the Huskers star hopes to become a better tackler and more well-rounded. He'll need that to succeed in the NFL, and it looks like draft analysts are taking notice of how hard he's worked to unlock his pro potential.

Should he indeed realize that potential, his pro career will certainly flourish. And Nebraska football will benefit big time as it tries to get to a bowl for the first time since 2016.