Dontrell Hilliard
refer to caption
Hilliard with the Browns in 2019
Personal information
Born: (1995-02-26) February 26, 1995 (age 28)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:Scotlandville Magnet
(Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
College:Tulane (2014–2017)
Position:Running back
Return specialist
Undrafted:2018
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:592
Rushing average:5.9
Receptions:62
Receiving yards:463
Return yards:1,121
Total touchdowns:8
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Dontrell Donmond Hilliard (born February 26, 1995) is an American football running back and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at Tulane and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2018.

Early years

Hilliard attended and played high school football at Scotlandville Magnet High School.[1] He received offers from Tulane and Oklahoma State before committing to the Green Wave.[2]

College career

Hilliard carrying the ball for Tulane in 2017

While at Tulane, Hilliard rushed for 2,948 yards and 30 touchdowns and caught 70 passes for 740 yards and four touchdowns over the course of four seasons (47 games).[3] As a senior, Hilliard was third in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with 1,091 rushing yards and rushed for 12 touchdowns and was named second-team All-AAC.[4]

Professional career

Cleveland Browns

2018 season

Hilliard signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2018. He was signed to the Browns practice squad on September 2, 2018, after not making the 53-man roster out of training camp.[5]

Hilliard was promoted to the Browns' active roster on October 9, 2018.[6] He made his NFL debut on October 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, returning one kick for 31 yards and recording a tackle on special teams.[7]

Hilliard finished his rookie year with nine receptions for 105 yards to go along with 11 kicks for 264 yards (24.0 average) and three special teams tackles in 11 games and no starts.[8]

2019 season

During the season-opening 43–13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Hilliard scored his first touchdown on a four-yard run, the first carry of his NFL career.[9] Hilliard was placed on injured reserve on December 24, 2019.[10]

Hilliard finished his second professional season with 13 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 12 receptions for 92 yards and led the team with 421 kickoff return yards and 107 punt return yards in 14 games and no starts.[11]

2020 season

Hilliard was tendered by the Browns for the 2020 season.[12] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on July 26, 2020,[13] and activated from the list nine days later.[14]

Hilliard was waived on September 5, 2020.[15] The Browns re-signed him to their practice squad the next day.[16] Hilliard was promoted to the active roster on September 30, 2020.[17] He was waived by the team on December 13, 2020.[18]

Houston Texans

On December 15, 2020, Hilliard was claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans.[19] He signed a contract extension with the team on March 1, 2021,[20] which was reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network as a one-year, $1.25 million extension.[21] On August 16, 2021, HIlliard was waived with an injury designation by the Texans and placed on injured reserve.[22] He was released on August 19.

Tennessee Titans

2021 season

On October 27, 2021, Hilliard was signed to the Titans practice squad.[23] After being elevated to the active roster, he rushed for 35 yards on seven carries, caught eight passes for 47 yards, and returned three kickoffs for 65 yards in a Week 11 22–13 loss to the Texans. After the game, Hilliard was reverted back to the practice squad. On November 23, 2021, the Titans signed Hilliard to the active roster.[24] During a 36–13 Week 12 road loss to the New England Patriots, Hilliard had 12 carries for 131 yards and a 68-yard touchdown.[25] Both he and fellow running back D'Onta Foreman rushed for over 100 yards in that game, the first time the Titans had two 100-yard rushers in a game since Chris Johnson and LenDale White in 2008.[26]

Hilliard finished the 2021 season with 56 carries for 350 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 19 receptions for 87 yards and eight returns for 177 yards in eight games and five starts.[27]

2022 season

On March 19, 2022, Hilliard re-signed with the Titans.[28] He was placed on injured reserve on December 17, 2022 following an in-game neck injury.[29] He finished the 2022 season with 22 carries for 145 yards to go along with 21 receptions for 177 yards and four touchdowns, and three returns for 27 yards in 12 games and one start.[30] He was not resigned by the Titans during the 2023 off-season.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving Returning Fumbles
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Ret Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2018 CLE 11 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 9 105 11.7 24 0 11 264 24.0 31 0 0 0
2019 CLE 3 0 7 31 4.4 11 2 9 82 9.1 19 0 32 528 16.5 74 0 2 0
2020 CLE 5 0 5 19 3.8 10 0 1 2 1.0 2 0 2 21 10.5 13 0 0 0
HOU 2 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 5 104 20.8 31 0 0 0
2021 TEN 8 5 56 350 6.3 68T 2 19 87 4.6 28 0 8 177 22.1 26 0 2 1
2022 TEN 12 1 22 145 6.6 30 0 21 177 8.4 31 4 3 27 9.0 23 0 0 0
Career[31] 52 6 100 592 5.9 68T 4 62 463 7.5 31 4 61 1,121 18.9 74 0 4 1

Postseason

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving Returning Fumbles
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Ret Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2021 TEN 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 3 13 4.3 5 0 1 26 26.0 26 0 0 0
Career[31] 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 3 13 4.3 5 0 1 26 26.0 26 0 0 0

References

  1. ^ Althage, Reid (February 4, 2014). "Recruit Spotlight: RB Dontrell Hilliard, Scotlandville High School, Class of 2014". LA Football Magazine. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  2. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard Recruit Interests". 247sports.com. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  3. ^ Edwards, Josh (September 24, 2018). "Browns announce tight end swap on practice squad". 247Sports.com. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  4. ^ Smith, Guerry (November 29, 2017). "Tulane cornerback Parry Nickerson named first-team All-AAC, three other teammates honored". The Advocate. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Edwards, Josh (September 2, 2018). "Report: Browns add two to the practice squad". 247Sports.com. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  6. ^ Risdon, Jeff (October 9, 2018). "Browns promote RB Dontrell Hilliard to active roster, waive Jeremiah McKinnon". BrownsWire. USA Today. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  7. ^ Risdon, Jeff (October 15, 2018). "By the numbers: key figures from Browns-Chargers in Week 6". BrownsWire. USA Today. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  8. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  9. ^ Harris, Brittany (September 8, 2019). "'We killed ourselves with penalties': Browns players react to tough loss against Titans in home opener". Fox8.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "Browns elevate G Colby Gossett; place RB Dontrell Hilliard on injured reserve". ClevelandBrowns.com. December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  11. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  12. ^ Greetham, Fred (March 16, 2020). "Browns Tender Hunt With 2nd-Round, 3 Others; Release Burnett". 247Sports.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Cabot, Mary Kay (July 26, 2020). "Browns RB Dontrell Hilliard and DB Jovante Moffatt among first 6 NFL players to land on the new Reserve/Covid-19 list". Cleveland.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  14. ^ "Browns activate RB Dontrell Hilliard, S Jovante Moffatt". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  15. ^ Gribble, Andrew (September 5, 2020). "Browns announce initial 53-man roster heading into 2020 season". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  16. ^ "Browns Claim Two Players; Announce 14 Practice Squad Members". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 6, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  17. ^ "Browns sign RB Dontrell Hilliard to active roster". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  18. ^ "Browns activate G Wyatt Teller". ClevelandBrowns.com. December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Houston Texans Transactions (12-15-20)". HoustonTexans.com. December 15, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  20. ^ "Houston Texans Transactions (3-1-2021)". HoustonTexans.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  21. ^ Simmons, Myles (February 22, 2021). "Texans bringing back Dontrell Hilliard". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  22. ^ Kubena, Brooks (August 16, 2021). "Texans cut running back Dontrell Hilliard". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  23. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard: Lands on Titans' practice squad". CBS Sports. October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  24. ^ Wyatt, Jim (November 23, 2021). "Titans Make 13 Roster Moves – On the Active Roster, Practice Squad and Injured Reserve – On a Busy Tuesday". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  25. ^ Wyatt, Jim (November 28, 2021). "Sloppy Titans Help Doom Themselves in 36-13 Loss to the Patriots". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  26. ^ Walker, Teresa M. (November 29, 2021). "Titans finally reach bye week with chance to rest, heal up". WZTV. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  27. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  28. ^ Wyatt, Jim (March 19, 2022). "Titans Agree to Terms With RB Dontrell Hilliard". TennesseeTitans.com.
  29. ^ "Titans place RB Dontrell Hilliard, WR C.J. Board on IR". SportsNaut.com. December 17, 2022.
  30. ^ "Dontrell Hilliard 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Dontrell Hilliard Stats". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 19, 2023.

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