Among the defensive linemen for the Huskies, I thought Chris was the most consistently disruptive among the front – but they all played very well as a collective unit. Chris got in the backfield for a couple of tackles for loss and had some good pass rushes that flushed the quarterback out of the pocket, forcing sacks and incompletions as a result.

Hilliard has been a mainstay on the Hough defensive line for years, and while he’s not lighting up the stat sheet as a senior, he’s having an impact. He’s quick off the ball and can play inside or out. He eats up blocks like a bigger player, but he can also shoot gaps like smaller defenders.

Hilliard is a versatile defensive lineman who is just scratching the surface of his full potential. He initially played some on the edge, but he’s gained weight and is a true interior pass-rusher now. His recruitment began to take off this spring, starting with some FCS teams and culminating with a Temple offer and commitment.

Hilliard really grew as a pass-rusher as a junior, which is the main reason he’s a stock-riser in our rankings update. He has so much power and strength and can blow guards off the ball. Hough also lets him slide further inside to nose tackle some times, where his quickness can cause issues for centers. He’s got plenty of room to grow and we’re excited to see how he continues to improve.

Chris once again continues to raise havoc up front for the Huskies’ defensive line. With a lot of talent up front, Chris was still an impact player with 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks, leading the interior defensive linemen in those categories. Chris is strong and powerful against the run, and he does a great job pushing the pocket in the passing game – which opens up their talented edge rushers to feast in 1 on 1 pass rushes against offensive linemen who can’t double team due to Chris’s presence up front. That constant interior pressure is why he is on this Junior Bowl team.

Among the defensive linemen, I thought Chris made the first impact in the game, shedding a block and making an impressive tackle for loss when Mallard Creek had moved the ball to midfield on their first possession from scrimmage. That play really set the tone for what the Hough defense would do throughout the game. Chris had good penetration throughout the game up the middle of the defense which forced Mallard Creek to try and work east/west instead of north/south where they usually dominate in the run game.

We’ve had Hilliard in our rankings for a while, but he’s taken his game to another level this year. When our South Carolina colleague Ian Guerin covered the Hough-Carolina Forest game, he said Hilliard popped immediately. He’s always been able to take on double teams and do the dirty work, but this year, he’s improved his production and racked up some sacks as well.

I have evaluated Chris before, and I am always impressed with the combination of his strength off the football combined with the technical skills of using his hands to shed blocks and rush the passer as an interior defensive lineman. Two highlights stand out to me – in the first one, Chris does a great job of playing half a man, getting backfield penetration, and forcing a fumble which directly led to a defensive touchdown. Secondly, Chris rips through the inside shoulder of a tackle on a slant stunt, gets penetration, and finishes the play with a sack. He should be seeing some recruiting attention – which might be happening, but another consistent season of impact plays should result in some offers coming his way.