Dax Hill. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals' former first-round pick is making position change

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 4/29/24

The Bengals added a couple of talented safeties in Geno Stone and Vonn Bell in free agency this offseason, but that has made one of their former first-round picks the odd man out.

As a result, head coach Zac Taylor revealed Dax Hill, Cincinnati's 2022 first-round pick, is moving from safety to cornerback.

"One of the reasons you took him was because of all the various different things you've seen on tape with him," Taylor said, via Mike Petraglia. "He's a superb athlete. He's got great size ... We've seen it from him, and we think it's the best opportunity right now to help our team. The versatility was what made him the pick that he was. We're really excited for his future."

Zac Taylor explains why moving Dax Hill to corner makes sense. pic.twitter.com/QJV34mEkWM
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) April 27, 2024

Hill didn't have a bad 2023 campaign in which he registered 110 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions and 11 passes defensed. However, he still played a large role in the defense that allowed the second-most total yards per game (374.6) in the league.

The Bengals have since been forced to revamp the whole unit, and that's why the Michigan product is making a position change heading into his third season.

Hill does have previous experience as an outside and nickel corner from his days in Ann Arbor, but it still won't be easy for him to earn a starting job.

Cincinnati has already invested two second-round picks on cornerbacks in Cam Taylor-Britt (2022) and DJ Turner II (2023) while veteran Mike Hilton has excelled at nickel corner since joining the team in 2021.

This likely isn't what the Bengals imagined for the 23-year-old when they drafted him just a couple of years ago.

However, Taylor added that Hill has been "embracing the opportunity." He chose that route instead of looking for a fresh start like teammates Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, who have requested to be traded from the team this offseason.

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