The Tennessee Titans may be stuck at 0-4, but Anthony Hill Jr. has been one of the few reasons there’s anything worth watching on that defense.
Tennessee’s second-round pick in April has stepped right into a major role for head coach Robert Saleh’s unit and produced right away. Through four games, the Texas linebacker has 42 tackles, 13 defensive stops, two pass deflections, and a 73.5 Pro Football Focus tackling grade. He’s also been on the field for every defensive snap the Titans have played in 2026.
That kind of workload usually comes with the normal rookie bumps, and Hill has had them, especially in pass coverage. Even so, the 21-year-old has brought a burst of energy and range to a linebacker room that needed it.
Still, the national recognition hasn’t quite matched the production.
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice ranked the top rookie defenders through four games and placed Hill at No. 7, with Sonny Styles of the Washington Commanders taking the top spot.
“As the Mike linebacker and green-dot wearer in Robert Saleh’s defense, Hill is automatically subject to reckless Fred Warner comparisons. I won’t be making any of those here, but the rookie does deserve shine for his sideline-to-sideline range.
Over the first three weeks of the season, Hill piled up an NFL-high 34 tackles, earning him Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for September. Against the pass, he’s flashed ability as a blitzer but lacks consistency in coverage," Filice wrote of Hill.
The group ahead of him also included Arvell Reese of the New York Giants, Dillon Thieneman of the Chicago Bears, Mansoor Delane of the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacob Rodriguez of the Miami Dolphins, and Caleb Downs of the Dallas Cowboys.
Hill has already looked like a key piece for Saleh’s roster, but being on a winless team tends to bury good work in the noise. If the Titans were winning, the 6-foot-2 linebacker would probably be getting a louder national push for what he’s done so far.
For now, Tennessee will try to get its first victory of the season against the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium, and Hill’s job stays the same: own the middle of the field, keep growing in coverage, and keep bringing the same edge against the run.
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