Anthony Hill Jr. is wasting no time making noise at Tennessee Titans training camp.
The rookie linebacker, a second-round pick, has started to close the gap in a crowded room that already includes returning starters Cody Barton and Cedric Gray. And after the Titans’ first padded practice on Monday, Hill backed up the buzz with a big Tuesday showing against backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
He picked off Trubisky twice in team drills, a strong flash of the playmaking ability that made him such a coveted defender at Texas.
Jim Wyatt described one of the takeaways this way: " Hill dropped in coverage and intercepted quarterback Mitchell Trubisky on a pass across the middle midway through practice, and later he hauled in a tipped Trubisky pass to hit the daily double."
That kind of impact has not come out of nowhere. Hill arrived in Nashville with the kind of athletic profile that turns heads, and early in camp he’s beginning to show the traits that made him one of the top defenders in the SEC.
Titans defensive coordinator Gus Bradley also said Tuesday that Hill has now been fully moved into the MIKE role. Bradley said, " We've got him at one position, the MIKE position, because there's quite a bit on that plate.
I've seen him as far as handling the defense, addressing and taking charge of the defense. Then, there's a lot of things happening in practice right, and it doesn't seem to phase him."
That’s a meaningful step. The MIKE spot is currently held by Barton, and it comes with the added responsibility of wearing the green dot and taking the defensive play calls from Saleh on game days. Bradley’s comments suggest the Titans believe Hill can handle that load sooner rather than later.
There’s still a competition to watch, but Hill is making a strong early case. Robert Saleh selected him in the 2026 NFL Draft with high hopes, and the rookie is already flashing in an area where Tennessee needed more.
The linebacker group had its bright moments last season, but coverage was not one of them. Hill was better known for his run defense in college, so seeing his pass defense show up this quickly is a promising sign for the Titans.
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