Springy all-purpose back Dierre Hill joins Ducks for spring

New Oregon running back Dierre Hill ran for 438 yards and seven touchdowns in the Illinois Class 1A state championship game in November. He's been clocked on the GPS at 21.4 mph.
New Oregon running back Dierre Hill ran for 438 yards and seven touchdowns in the Illinois Class 1A state championship game in November. He's been clocked on the GPS at 21.4 mph. | Jay Taft/Rockford Register Star / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Spotted on social media, Dierre Hill becomes the 15th member of the 2025 freshman class to enroll in school and join the team for the balance of spring practice. The Ducks hold their third workout of 2025 on Wednesday April 2, this time in pads.

Cornerback Brandon Finney of McDonough School in Owings Mills, Maryland has also landed in Eugene in time for spring term, pushing the total to 16 of the 19 players Oregon signed. The others will join their new teammates in June.

Hill is a speedy all-purpose back and versatile athlete, 5-11, 188, rated the No. 6 running back and No. 180 prospect in 2025 by Rivals. By NCAA rules, as a new arrival he has to complete two workouts in shells before he can begin full-contact practice.

At Althoff Catholic High in Bellville, Illinois, Hill starred in three sports, the State Gatorade Player of the Year in football, a top scorer in basketball and state champion in the 100 and 200 meters. At Oregon, he's joining the most talented recruiting class in program history, surrounded by prospects who are similarly fast.

The challenge for Hill (and all the new Oregon players) is adjusting to an entirely new level of competition. While they were all dominant players in high school, at UO they're joining a squad of equally gifted athletes and competing in crowded position rooms.

Some players, like Seven McGee, a four-star running back in the 2021 class, 5-9, 185, get lost in the shuffle. He entered the portal seven games into his sophomore year and transferred to Jackson State, transferring again to the University of Albany in 2024, where he grabbed 45 passes for 630 yards and six touchdowns.

Hill's explosive speed and elite cutting ability can serve to set him apart from the crowd, however. Evaluating him, Scott Reed of Duck Sports Authority wrote, "His fluid running style and ability to set up defenders with anticipation have drawn comparisons to Oregon legend Kenjon Barner."



Practice is the crucible where comparisons fade or prove out. Twelve of these freshmen joined the team before the Rose Bowl. Getting to Eugene in March gives Hill and his new teammates a chance to get acclimated and compete for early playing time on a national championship contender.

Schedule

Schedule