Baltimore Ravens: Justice Hill making a strong case for a large role

Baltimore Ravens rookie running back Justice Hill continues to shine and could be forcing his way into a major role in the backfield.

On Thursday night, the Baltimore Ravens took care of business against the Green Bay Packers, coming away with a 26-13 victory in the second preseason game. Lamar Jackson and his explosive playmaking from the quarterback position received the most attention from the game, but the play of rookie running back Justice Hill may have been the most important takeaway.

Hill received 10 carries on the night and used them to pile up 49 yards and a touchdown. He showed impressive quickness and explosiveness out of the backfield and refused to go down on the first contact. His touchdown in the third quarter was one of the most impressive one-yard touchdowns that you will ever see.

Hill showed similar playmaking ability the week before against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a more limited role. Against the Jaguars, he shined with an impressive catch out of the backfield.

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Hill does not have ideal size for an NFL running back. He is undoubtedly a bit on the small side. That being said, he is a compact runner who uses fantastic pad level and contact balance to make himself difficult to bring down by one defender. He constantly keeps his feet moving and uses his impressive quickness to make defenders miss in open space.

Hill is an explosive back who can make an impact as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. He is also an extremely smart player who finds the correct hole quickly and uses good burst to make the most out of what is blocked for him.

The Baltimore Ravens signed running back Mark Ingram as a free agent this offseason and he will likely be the primary ball carrier for the team in 2019. That being said, they drafted Hill for a reason. If he can continue to show out as he has through the first two preseason games, it is going to be difficult for the Ravens to keep their rookie back on the bench.

We all know that Baltimore is going to put a heavy emphasis on the rushing attack. Simply put, there are going to be many carries to go around. Ingram will likely be the primary guy, but Hill is putting himself in a position to take on a major role as well.