Receiver K.J. Hill remembers putting on pads at age five and thinking he would never see the day that he would be a high school All American.
Hill, 6-1, 192, 4.42 seconds in the 40 yard dash, received his game jersey for the U.S. Army All American game at a ceremony at North Little Rock’s gymnasium on Monday morning.
“Man, really I wasn’t even trying to play football,” Hill said. “Because my first day, I got hit and I started crying. I remember my dad made me get back out there. I wasn’t even suppose to be here right now, if it wasn’t for him.”
It wasn’t until one of Arkansas’ greatest players took the field did Hill start to think about playing college football and for the Razorbacks.
“The Darren McFadden era I started watching him,” said Hill, who’s committed to the Hpgs. “That’s when I got my number…number five and then I just tried to be like him ever since and then just started going along with it.”
Prior to wearing number five, Hill wore 34 because of Texas running back Ricky Williams and Auburn running back Bo Jackson, but ditched the number after seeing McFadden.
“That’s when I changed my number,” Hill said.
He was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps Offensive Player of the Year last season after catching 63 passes for 1,143 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior. He plans to officially visit Arkansas, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Alabama in January.
Hill will wear number 15 in the U.S. Army All American game to be played in the Alamo Dome in San Antonio on Jan. 3. Putting on the jersey in front of his coaches, teammates and friends felt good.
“In the tenth grade, I didn’t expect this to happen,” Hill said. “It’s a big honor to play in the game with all the big names playing in it.”
Hill wore his signature bow tie at the event like he did when he committed to Arkansas in August.
“I own a couple, that’s all I wear is bow ties,” Hill said.
He’s a frequent buyer of bow ties and doesn’t have a firm count on his inventory.
“I don’t even count,” Hill said. “At anytime, I just go get a new one. They’re cheap. They’re clip on. I don’t like ties they get in the way and stuff.”