Hillside gets two guys on the sleepers section because it’s not a star-laden team. Instead, the Hornets are made up of a bunch of guys who know their roles and do their jobs well. Lillie was one of the top linebackers in the state last year, doing a bit of everything. He’s the top returning tackler, had two sacks, recovered two fumbles, and thrived in pass coverage last year.

The strength of Hillside’s squad is its front seven, and Lillie’s reliability in the middle allows the defensive line to be more aggressive. He’s a sure tackler who has the speed to roam sideline-to-sideline or chase down ball carriers from behind. He has solid coverage skills, rarely allowing too much space in man and getting good depth in zone.

Like a couple of the other guys on this list, Lillie popped up on the radar as I went through my RDU Deep Dives series over the summer. Lillie had a productive sophomore year, with just under 50 tackles, and that number should grow as he’s added some weight this offseason and should be a force in the running game.

Lillie is just a rising junior, but he’s already flashed as a sophomore, making 47 tackles and two sacks last season. He’s a guy who has great physical traits, the size and the speed to have a really productive junior season.