UVA dives deep into SEC territory for its second football commitment for Class of 2022

By Jerry Ratcliffe

When you look at Rodney “Deuce” Hill, you immediately think “playmaker.”

Apparently, that’s what Bronco Mendenhall and Robert Anae, thought as well. Virginia pictured Hill as another Billy Kemp IV or Olamide Zaccheaus, and that’s why UVA offered yet another Georgia prospect a scholarship.

Hill accepted and became the Cavaliers’ second commitment to the 2022 class, following in the footsteps of 6-7 tight end Karson Gay from Tennessee.

Virginia dove into SEC territory for both prospects (see earlier report on Gay, archived on this site) and continued to mind the talent-rich state of Georgia for another commitment.

Hill is a 6-foot, 185-pound athlete from Bullock Academy in Statesville, Ga., where he played running back, wide receiver and defensive back. Rated 3-star by 247Sports and a 4-star by ESPN, Hill’s list of suitors was quite impressive.

He chose Virginia over Virginia Tech, Pitt, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Colorado, Minnesota and others. Schools that did not make his final list included Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Maryland.

Virginia’s offer to Hill was an H-back type position in the mold of Kemp and Zaccheaus.

He is rated the No. 48 athlete nationally in the class of ‘22 by 247Sports, which also ranked him the No. 40 overall recruit at any position in the state of Georgia.

“I can play on defense, wide receiver, running back, kick returner,” Hill said. “I’m just an all-around player. I don’t really have a favorite position. Whatever position a college wants me to play in order to help the team, I can and will do that. If they need a wide receiver, I’ll go out and make plays there, sae with running back. Playing different positions comes pretty easy to me because I practice all three of them a lot during the year.”

During his career thus far at Bulloch, Hill has surpassed 100 yards numerous times in various roles. One of his best performances came in 2020 when he posted 332 total yards and four touchdowns in a win over Tiftarea Academy. In another win over Westfield, Hill rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-0 win.

His has the big-play ability that Mendenhall likes in his offenses, in addition to kick return games.