Justin Hilliard has been through a lot during his Ohio State career. The linebacker was the highest-ranked recruit in Ohio State’s 2015 class, but injuries have kept Hilliard from living up to the hype so far. Hilliard started to show his talents last year, seeing the field primarily in four linebacker sets against run-heavy offenses. The highlight of Hilliard’s 2019 season came in the fourth quarter against Penn State, when his interception changed the game.
Heading into last season, it looked like 2019 would be the last chance Hilliard would have to prove himself at the college level, but then he found out about the possibility of a sixth-year of eligibility.