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Julian Hill – August 30, 2023 Download PDF version

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

TE Julian Hill

(If I were to go to Campbell University for this first time, what would I notice? What would you recommend I do?) – “A lot of trees, a lot of open farms and cows. I recommend that you go visit Campbell University. That’s really the excitement of Campbell. Buies Creek is a long way from Miami.”

(I know you had a couple knee injuries your senior year of high school. Other than Campbell, what do you remember were some of your recruiting options?) – “I had some ACC schools, come C-USA. I played quarterback in high school. I was a pretty highly recruited quarterback. I had some Sun Belt schools. It ended up not working out obviously, so Campbell gave me an opportunity and I ran with it.”

(The background with the Dolphins, at what point did they start showing interest in you? In February or March, did Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree sort of develop a relationship with you back then?) – “Yeah, leading up to the draft, so many frequent teams are calling you. As the draft got closer and closer, that’s when the Dolphins became interested. My agent told me and I thought it was a great fit. I always had my eye on the Dolphins. Nice weather. (laughter) I like their system. I like Coach McDaniel and how he runs things, and of course just getting a chance to work with Coach Embree from who he’s coached in the past, it was a no-brainer.”

(I know that to play in this offense at the tight end position, you need to be an effective blocker. I just told TE Durham Smythe I haven’t studied your blocking film yet. What will I notice? What’s your approach to blocking?) – “I love it. I take pride in being a half o-lineman. (laughter) I love the trench warfare or whatever you want to call it. Whatever name it has, I love getting physical and I think that that’s where it allows me to buy time to develop my route running. A lot of guys – you’ve just got to be willing and have a willingness to block and I have that. I love to show effort in the run game. I love to get physical, like I said, and I think that’s the beautiful thing about it.”

(From a receiving standpoint, what tight ends do you think you might have a similarity with and that you’ve studied on tape with similar games?) – “I like the Jets’ Tyler Conklin. I just like him. We’ve got a similar style of play, same size. I like watching Tommy Tremble from the Panthers, just his mindset. He was a young guy as well, same size, and how he gets in and out of breaks. Of course, George Kittle – he’s the one who was a superstar in this type of offense. How he gets up field, how he slashes the defense, all of those types of things. Those three guys are the main guys that I take a look at and take notes on.”

(What’s something that Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree has said or shown you that really stands out? Like every time you’re out there, you kind of have it in the back of your mind.) – “It’s a mindset. Everything you do is a mindset. He preaches that. He doesn’t like when we don’t have that mindset going onto the field. Really that’s the only thing. He preaches it in the film room, he preaches it on the field – mindset, mindset, mindset. So mentality.”

(This locker room, this team and this organization has track record of adding undrafted free agents who have a lot of success, such as CB Kader Kohou who used to be there. DT Brandon Pili has made it, which is good for him. Did you feel like a long shot when you first got here?) – “Of course, definitely. (laughter) I knew since I walked into that meeting room, I understand I’m at the bottom of the depth chart, but I knew it was an opportunity. That’s all I needed, just a (foot) in the door. Every single day I’m going to continue to work hard. I’m just honored that they decided they want me to be one of the pieces, and I know every day, it’s an interview every day. So I’m willing to take that on.”

(How did you find out that you had made it? Did anybody say something to you? Did General Manager Chris Grier?) – “Yeah, it was Coach ‘Embo’ (Jon Embree). It was the day after the deadline, he told me congratulations. A lot of other guys, a lot of older teammates that have been around here came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations, can’t wait to work with you throughout the season.’ It was just a big moment. God is good.”

(Is it happiness? What sort of emotion is it to make it as an undrafted rookie?) – “It’s huge. It’s huge. I called my coach from Campbell because nobody has even done it from Campbell before. It’s just an honor, like I said, just to be one of the pieces of the puzzle. I’m really excited to chase this ring with these guys and earn it every day.”

(What did Campbell do to prepare you for this opportunity?) – “Humble me. (laughter) ‘Coach Mint’, Coach Mike Minter, he played in the league for 10 years. Just knowing his mindset, he played for the Panthers, the mentality he had, what it takes to be an NFL guy, he kind of molded that into me while I was at Campbell.”

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