When the Los Angeles Rams took a flier on wide receiver Drew Hill in the 12th round of the 1979 draft, they knew they were getting a 5’9″ player with excellent speed.
It was also a long shot that he’d make the team, having spent much of his time at Georgia Tech University blocking for running back Eddie Lee Ivory.
Ivory was the Green Bay Packers‘ first-round draft pick that year. Offensive linemen Kent Hill and Roy Simmons were the only other Tech offensive players drafted that year. Hill happened to be the Rams first-round selection and would be Drew Hill’s teammate his entire career except for the 1985 season.
Hill made the team as a kick returner. He took a return 98 yards for a score in his second season and led the league in returns in his third. He was rarely used as a receiver in his first three years, as the Rams leaned on veterans like Ron Jessie, Preston Dennard and Bill Waddy.
Yet he did help the Rams reach their first ever Super Bowl as a rookie. After missing the entire 1983 year because of injury, Hill returned with luster. Los Angeles finally used him more on offense, where he teamed with Pro Bowler Henry Ellard and Olympic sprint Gold Medalist Ron Brown to comprise of a very exciting receiving trio.
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