Former Buckeye K.J. Hill signs with CFL

The Ohio State football team's all-time leader in receptions is returning to the field. After a couple of years away from football, K.J. Hill has signed a free-agent contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

After becoming the only Buckeye receiver to accumulate over 200 catches in a career (201), Hill was chosen in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Chargers. The Arkansas native never really found his footing in the NFL and was out of the league after just two seasons. He appeared in 21 games and caught ten passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns. Hill also spent time returning kickoffs and punts. His NFL career consisted of 161 snaps before the Chargers waived him in October of 2021.

Hill joins a Winnipeg team that has been the CFL’s most dominant over the last four seasons. They’ve been to the Grey Cup final (the CFL championship game) all four of those seasons and won the coveted trophy twice. They are led at quarterback by former Cincinnati Bearcat Zach Collaros. The Steubenville Big Red product is one of the league’s premier players and has twice won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award.

Some feel Hill is the Bombers’ most intriguing signing because of his success with the Buckeyes. Making the roster will not be easy. Winnipeg is loaded at receiver with what may be the league’s best group. But keep in mind that Canadian rules allow for twelve players per side.

That bodes well for Hill because four-receiver formations are the norm. One encouraging sign I saw was seeing Hill listed second at his position on a depth chart for the team. This came from the 3DownNation website, which covers the CFL. Regardless of where this depth chart originated, I’m still taking this as a positive for Hill.

Hopefully, Hill will make the Bombers’ roster and replicate the success of another former Buckeye receiver in the CFL. DeVier Posey was the Grey Cup MVP in 2017 with Toronto. Training camp opens in May.