Charles Hill (American football)
Encyclopedia
Charles LeDawnta Hill is an American football
player. He was selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft
by the Houston Texans
and played for one season in the National Football League
. He has played in the NFL Europe
league and since 2006 has competed in the Arena Football League.
in Greenbelt, Maryland
. While there, Hill played on the varsity basketball team for three years, where he was noticed by the football coach, who convinced him to play football for his junior and senior years. As a junior, Roosevelt won the Prince George's County
and regional football championships before falling to runners-up in the Maryland state final.
In 1997 as a senior, Hill saw action on both sides of the ball as part of the defensive and offensive lines. He recorded 114 tackles (87 solo), seven sacks, four fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles. Hill was named an honorable mention all-county and honorable mention all-league player, and selected to play in the Chesapeake Classic and Mason-Dixon Classic high school all-star games. He graduated from Roosevelt in 1998.
. In 1998, as a true freshman, he saw action in nine games including three starts and recorded 16 tackles and one sack. In 1999, Hill saw action in ten games including three starts, accumulating 23 tackles. He also played part of the season as a back-up center
during the early part of the season. In 2000, he started in nine games, but missed the matches against Clemson
and Wake Forest
due to a dislocated elbow. He recorded 43 tackles (22 solo), 12 quarterback hurries, and three sacks. That year, Hill was honored as an Atlantic Coast Conference
All-Academic football player.
2001 proved Maryland's best season in over a decade, where the team compiled a 10–2 record and secured a Bowl Championship Series
berth against number-five ranked Florida
. That season, Hill started in all 11 games, including the Orange Bowl. He finished as the second-leading tackler behind only first-team All-American
, E.J. Henderson. Hill recorded a total of 81 tackles (44 solo), including eight for a combined loss of 26 yards, nine quarterback hurries, and two sacks.
by the Houston Texans
(83rd overall). During the 2002 season, he played in all 16 games for the Texans, and primarily saw action on special teams which included two kick-off returns. In 2003, he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder
of NFL Europe
, where he recorded 14 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. After that season, Hill signed or attended training camps of various teams including the Chicago Bears
, Carolina Panthers
, and San Francisco 49ers
.
He played in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators
from 2006 until the league folded in 2008. In 2006, Hill played in 11 games and recorded 7.5 tackles, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, and three sacks. In 2007, he saw action in 16 games playing as a nose tackle, tight end
, and on special teams. That season, he recorded 8.5 tackles, a blocked field goal attempt, and two touchdown receptions.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He was selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and played for one season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He has played in the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
league and since 2006 has competed in the Arena Football League.
Early life
Hill was born to Charles Hill and Deborah Ford on 1 November 1980. He attended Eleanor Roosevelt High SchoolEleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland)
Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. While there, Hill played on the varsity basketball team for three years, where he was noticed by the football coach, who convinced him to play football for his junior and senior years. As a junior, Roosevelt won the Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
and regional football championships before falling to runners-up in the Maryland state final.
In 1997 as a senior, Hill saw action on both sides of the ball as part of the defensive and offensive lines. He recorded 114 tackles (87 solo), seven sacks, four fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles. Hill was named an honorable mention all-county and honorable mention all-league player, and selected to play in the Chesapeake Classic and Mason-Dixon Classic high school all-star games. He graduated from Roosevelt in 1998.
College career
Hill attended the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. In 1998, as a true freshman, he saw action in nine games including three starts and recorded 16 tackles and one sack. In 1999, Hill saw action in ten games including three starts, accumulating 23 tackles. He also played part of the season as a back-up center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
during the early part of the season. In 2000, he started in nine games, but missed the matches against Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
due to a dislocated elbow. He recorded 43 tackles (22 solo), 12 quarterback hurries, and three sacks. That year, Hill was honored as an Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
All-Academic football player.
2001 proved Maryland's best season in over a decade, where the team compiled a 10–2 record and secured a Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
berth against number-five ranked Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
. That season, Hill started in all 11 games, including the Orange Bowl. He finished as the second-leading tackler behind only first-team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, E.J. Henderson. Hill recorded a total of 81 tackles (44 solo), including eight for a combined loss of 26 yards, nine quarterback hurries, and two sacks.
Professional career
Hill was selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(83rd overall). During the 2002 season, he played in all 16 games for the Texans, and primarily saw action on special teams which included two kick-off returns. In 2003, he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
of NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
, where he recorded 14 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. After that season, Hill signed or attended training camps of various teams including the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
He played in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
from 2006 until the league folded in 2008. In 2006, Hill played in 11 games and recorded 7.5 tackles, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, and three sacks. In 2007, he saw action in 16 games playing as a nose tackle, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, and on special teams. That season, he recorded 8.5 tackles, a blocked field goal attempt, and two touchdown receptions.