Way-Too-Early 2026 NFL Mock Drafts Put Jyaire Hill Going in the First Round

Now that the 2025 NFL draft has come to a close, it’s only natural that sports analysts have already started in on their 2026 mock draft predictions. Analysts at Bleacher Report have released their ‘way-too-early’ predictions for next year, and going to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of their mock draft is Michigan defensive back, Jyaire Hill.

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Hill made his debut at Michigan as a freshman during the 2023 national championship season. In his first game in the maize and blue, Hill made four tackles and one shared tackle for loss, earning him Defensive Freshman of the Week. He appeared in the first four games of the season, and had eight tackles, leading him to his first varsity letter.

Hill has continued developing with an upward trend

His sophomore year is when Hill really broke out, as he had more opportunities with less competition at the position. In 2024, Hill appeared in 12 games, with nine starts at defensive back, where he made 35 tackles, with 5.5 for loss. He also broke up nine passes, caught one interception, and had one sack on the season, getting him his second varsity letter.

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With his growth and development skyrocketing from his freshman to sophomore seasons, it’s clear that Hill has yet to reach his ceiling. As a junior leader on the team this fall, and one of the few players on this year’s roster who saw action in the 2023 season, he has his work cut out for him. But with all the eyes seemingly already on Hill, it stands to reason that this would be his best season yet, hopefully fulfilling the prophecy set forth by Bleacher Report’s early mock draft.

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