Hello, I run a local high school and college football website, 618football.com, that is football in the 618 area code. I am also from Du Quoin, such as Nick, and he is the hardest worker you will ever see. Du Quoin high school has a tradition of winning, 24 straight years in the Illinois playoffs. The truth is, Nick was a basketball player first all the way through high school. He played well on the football field but basketball was his free ride to Western Kentucky. He hurt his hand and transferred to SIUC, had to sit out, then played a year of basketball and football at SIUC, with a full scholarship in football. He quit basketball and focused on football his Junior year and started two years. The mention that he was only a starter for two years was because of that reason.

He didn’t beat Joe Flacco in the National Semifinal game. No, he didn’t. But, he lead his team to the national semifinal game and lost 20-17, in a horrible rainy game that had a few plays here or there that might have completely changed the game. penalties hurt, but that is fine, that isn’t the point. He doesn’t have the arm that Flacco has but I think he is just a good of a player.

Just last Wednesday he spoke to the 61st annual Du Quoin Elks banquet and gave a nice speech about goals and working hard to reach them. He goes over the basketball to football and how he got here. I videotaped it and posted it online.

You can find it at
618 Football Streaming Video of Nick Hill as Featured Speaker

I think that they thought that the inside track on Nick. I have found articles on the Internet and put them in one thread, here, Nick Hill News Thread.

At any rate, the few articles that I have found already and the talk about town was that he was talking with the Bills, Bears, Colts, and lightly with some others. The Bears had him to camp, did a tour, and talked with him the most. The Bills were going to draft him late and mess up the contract with the Bears but they went with Defense instead.

As I said, there wasn’t a harder worker on the board yesterday. The Bears knew that, they llked him and I don’t expect him to be a instant success, and he has to get up to NFL speed, but he has been working at a camp in Cincinnati to prepare. I think he is ready for minicamp and ready to get up there and get working.

If you go to youtube you will find a workout session from 4/2/08 at SIUC.

FYI: His younger brother AJ, is a lefty too, a senior now at Du Quoin high school and in his junior year had 1100 yards passing (we are not a passing team, more of a three yards and a cloud of dust team), 650 Rushing Yards, 29 Total TDs. His first sport is football, but he plays basketball pretty good too.

mark it down!

Home Town Paper Covers with More Details.
http://www.duquoin.com/articles/2008/04/28/sports/sports1.txt

Nick Hill, Bears Agree on Three-Year Free Agent Deal

By Jeff Profitt/GateHouse News Service
Monday, April 28, 2008 11:38 AM CDT

Nick Hill’s professional football career officially began about 30 seconds after the 2008 National Football League Draft ended early Sunday evening.

The Du Quoin High School and SIU-Carbondale record-setting quarterback agreed to a three-year priority free agent contract with the Chicago Bears.

He’ll receive a $5,000 signing bonus and leaves Du Quoin Thursday for the Bears’ rookie mini-camp in Chicago.

According to Hill, Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo indicated only one other free agent quarterback- Caleb Hainie from Colorado State -was signed Sunday.

Rex Grossman, the returning starter, and talented Kyle Orton are the lone veteran QB’s on the current Chicago roster.

Hill and Hainie apparently will compete for the third string position.

"It really was a no-brainer to sign with the Bears," Hill said. "Your #1 goal is to always get drafted, but I just wanted to get a shot. I feel really good about the Bears. They were the top team on my list. "

Buffalo nearly drafted Hill with the next-to-last pick (#251) Sunday, but opted to select a defensive back instead.

Once that happened-and after declining late offers from Indianapolis, Houston and Washington-Hill verbally agreed to a deal with Chicago and was faxing back the signed contract about 30 minutes later.

"It’s probably a good situation the Bears didn’t take me," Hill admitted. "I’m going to Chicago to play for that third spot and they are planning to keep three active quarterbacks and at least one on the practice team. On Friday, I will be wearing an NFL uniform and can be called a Chicago Bear. They are gonna have to run me out of that place, because I am going to stick around until I learn everything."

Hill’s agent, Andy Simms, started fielding a volley of calls from Chicago and Buffalo during the sixth round.

Buffalo quarterbacks coach Alex VanPelt was up front, indicating Hill would be chosen if the Bills opted for an offensive player with its last pick.

When they didn’t, Hill’s deal with Chicago began to take shape.

13 quarterbacks were picked during the two-day draft.

After Washington State’s Alex Brink went to went to Houston in round six, ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper expressed surprise.

"Brink seems like a reach," Kiper said. "Especially with some good quarterbacks still out there, including Nick Hill. A smooth lefty from Southern Illinois."

On ESPN-2’s "Mike and Mike in the Morning" Monday, Kiper commented about Chicago signing two free agents quarterbacks (Hill and Hainie) that both would "eventually play in the NFL.:

Oddly enough, Hill may have been forced to compete with close friend Luke Drone (Mount Carmel, Illinois State) if drafted by the Bills. Drone was one of three free agent quarterbacks signing with Buffalo Sunday night.

"I talked to Luke last night and he’s pretty excited," Hill said. "I think we are both going into very good situations."

A three-year letter winner at SIU, Hill led the Salukis to the national semifinals as a senior. Originally a Division I basketball player at Western Kentucky, Hill is third on Du Quoin’s career scoring list in hoops and twice earned all-state honors.

Also a two-year all-stater in football, he threw for nearly 4,000 yards after becoming a starter midway through his sophomore season. Du Quoin finished as state runner-up in 2002.

"I report Friday and will be in Chicago until late Sunday night," Hill said. "Most of the mini-camp will focus on film study , learning the playbook and getting a feel for the Bears system. I go back to Chicago for the summer May 16 and will workout until training camp starts in July."

Hill’s family hosted about 100 people Sunday afternoon at their Lakeview Lane home, watching the draft just a stones throw from Van Metre Field, the place where Nick’s quarterbacking days began as a DHS freshman in 1999.

Monday morning, Hill was back on Route 51 for the familiar drive to Carbondale, where he’s student teaching at Carbondale’s Thomas Elementary School.

The son of Charles and Debbie Hill, he’s finishing up a Special Education degree at SIU this week.

"Yesterday was a long day," Nick admitted. "But I think things are going to work out. I am going into a great situation with the Bears."

Hill was invited to Bears headquarters at Halas Hall in March, meeting Angelo, head coach Lovie Smith, offensive coordinator Ron Turner and quarterback coach Pep Hamilton.

" I am just so excited about this opportunity," Hill said.

"I know I have a lot of things to work on, but I am a hard worker and its my goal to make the roster. Its the NFL and its my dream."

Here is the video interview, with some highlight clips.

http://www.618football.com/videos.php?bcpid=1328266182&bclid=1334422590&bctid=1527822735

Nick was on Mully & Hanley today on 670 The Score to talk about trying to get the 3rd QB spot, his rushing ability in college, SIU offense, and more.

http://www.670thescore.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=1994247

Nick Hill Football Fan site is up at http://www.nickhillfootball.com