GREEN BAY, Wisc. (WBAY) Packers rookie quarterback, Taysom Hill, hasn't played a full season of football since his sophomore year at BYU.
His time off the field is what likely kept him from going in the draft, but it hasn't kept him from the earning a chance in the NFL.
Hill put up a 4.44 40-yard dash and 38.5” vertical leap at his pro day, and it's big reason the Packers scooped right him up right after the draft.
“Yeah, I’ve had quite the journey to get to where I am today,” said Taysom Hill.
Hill's journey took a detour after high school with a Mormon mission that took him away from football for three seasons. The next five were spent at BYU where he suffered four season-ending injuries while playing for the Cougars.
“I’ve learned a lot of really valuable lessons going through injury, and I think it help me realize how much I love playing the football, and so I wanted to continue to push through it and thank goodness Green Bay gave me an opportunity,” said Hill.
He is competing with last year's summer sensation Joe Callahan if the Packers decide to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
“Everything is a competition, whether it's just drills, throwing into a net, or just little games, but it's a friendly competition. I feel like we have a good group here and no one is letting that competition get in between our friendship,” said Joe Callahan.
Although staying healthy comes first, it's not at the forefront of Hill's mind.
“You know, I think if you want to stick around this league, you always have to prove yourself, so as I come into the facilities every morning, I want to make sure that I’m at the top of my game, and I try to the best that I’m ready and I’m a good fit,” said Hill.
As intimidating as this whole process may be for an older, undrafted free agent, Hill's got at least one guy in his corner, former BYU teammate and Packers 4th round draft pick, Jamaal Williams.
“Nah, he an old man. I'm playing. Nah, he my buddy. He my boy, and you just pretty much go into the journey together just helping each other work out and get everything settled in you know,” said Jamaal Williams.
“We played and started together as freshmen. We went through the ranks together, so to have him out here, and go through this process kind of eases the burden, and we get to go out there together and it's like we're in college,” said Hill.
A few other things that feel a lot like college are the jokes. At age 26, Hill is the oldest rookie in this year's class, and his team isn't about to let him forget it.
“You know, we had a few jokes. Randall brought up to me the other day that his birthday is a day before mine, but we're going to be the same age, right, so there's been a few jokes about that but the guys have been great,” said Hill.
“They be giving him more here than anything you know, and it just be funny, like, it ain’t anything new to me. Like, I know what the Mormon life is, and how they go on their missions and stuff like that that's why I just sit back, and I just be listening. I just be laughing because it's just hilarious to me,” said Williams.
Nothing seems to phase Hill--the jokes, the injuries, or the competition.
It's all mental and when you're injured more often than not, the mental game is something you can practice.
“I’m coming here and my focus is from a mental stand point making sure that I pick up the offense and learning everything that I possibly can to go out and perform the best I can,” said Hill.
His time off the field is what likely kept him from going in the draft, but it hasn't kept him from the earning a chance in the NFL.
Hill put up a 4.44 40-yard dash and 38.5” vertical leap at his pro day, and it's big reason the Packers scooped right him up right after the draft.
“Yeah, I’ve had quite the journey to get to where I am today,” said Taysom Hill.
Hill's journey took a detour after high school with a Mormon mission that took him away from football for three seasons. The next five were spent at BYU where he suffered four season-ending injuries while playing for the Cougars.
“I’ve learned a lot of really valuable lessons going through injury, and I think it help me realize how much I love playing the football, and so I wanted to continue to push through it and thank goodness Green Bay gave me an opportunity,” said Hill.
He is competing with last year's summer sensation Joe Callahan if the Packers decide to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
“Everything is a competition, whether it's just drills, throwing into a net, or just little games, but it's a friendly competition. I feel like we have a good group here and no one is letting that competition get in between our friendship,” said Joe Callahan.
Although staying healthy comes first, it's not at the forefront of Hill's mind.
“You know, I think if you want to stick around this league, you always have to prove yourself, so as I come into the facilities every morning, I want to make sure that I’m at the top of my game, and I try to the best that I’m ready and I’m a good fit,” said Hill.
As intimidating as this whole process may be for an older, undrafted free agent, Hill's got at least one guy in his corner, former BYU teammate and Packers 4th round draft pick, Jamaal Williams.
“Nah, he an old man. I'm playing. Nah, he my buddy. He my boy, and you just pretty much go into the journey together just helping each other work out and get everything settled in you know,” said Jamaal Williams.
“We played and started together as freshmen. We went through the ranks together, so to have him out here, and go through this process kind of eases the burden, and we get to go out there together and it's like we're in college,” said Hill.
A few other things that feel a lot like college are the jokes. At age 26, Hill is the oldest rookie in this year's class, and his team isn't about to let him forget it.
“You know, we had a few jokes. Randall brought up to me the other day that his birthday is a day before mine, but we're going to be the same age, right, so there's been a few jokes about that but the guys have been great,” said Hill.
“They be giving him more here than anything you know, and it just be funny, like, it ain’t anything new to me. Like, I know what the Mormon life is, and how they go on their missions and stuff like that that's why I just sit back, and I just be listening. I just be laughing because it's just hilarious to me,” said Williams.
Nothing seems to phase Hill--the jokes, the injuries, or the competition.
It's all mental and when you're injured more often than not, the mental game is something you can practice.
“I’m coming here and my focus is from a mental stand point making sure that I pick up the offense and learning everything that I possibly can to go out and perform the best I can,” said Hill.
