Rookie Diary: Hill makes the most of his first playing time at the Dome/PD

Rookie Diary: Hill makes the most of his first playing time at the Dome
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/rookie-diary-hill-makes-the-most-of-his-first-playing/article_4fe3b80b-c504-5f00-87fc-1be0e3721b7f.html

Aaron Hill was a three-sport standout at Lutheran St. Charles High who walked on at the University of Minnesota, where he started three seasons and helped the Golden Gophers earn trips to bowl games in 2012 and 2013. The 23-year-old signed as a rookie free agent with the Rams shortly after the NFL draft and is trying to beat the odds and earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

Throughout training camp, Joe Lyons of the Post-Dispatch will check in on Hill for reports to be posted online on Mondays and Fridays to provide fans with a unique perspective on the linebacker’s efforts to make his NFL dream come true.

Saturday, Hill and his teammates moved from Rams Park to the Edward Jones Dome for their third annual FanFest workout. The practice session, which wrapped up with a “live” scrimmage for some of the team’s younger players, drew 15,723 fans.

Your feelings about playing at the Dome for the first time?

“Surreal. I seem to use that word a lot these days, but it really is the best way to describe it. A little nervous, a lot of anxiety at first, but once got started, everything was fine. Football is football; you’re out here playing the game you’ve played all your life, the game you love.

“It’s always great to play at home in front of my family and friends, and getting to play for my hometown team, the team I grew up rooting for, it’s just an incredible feeling. I’m glad the fans came out and supported us. It was just a great experience for me.”

And Hill enjoyed one of his better practices in a Rams’ uniform. He picked off a pass to close out the two-minute drill and would’ve had a touchdown. He also showed some pass-rush ability, putting himself in position for sacks in a linebackers-vs.-running backs drill and again in the “live” scrimmage. For obvious reasons, defenders are not allowed to hit the quarterback.

Talk about the interception?

“I gotta thank the defense. Everybody did their job. (Defensive coordinator) Gregg Williams made a great call and we just executed and were able to score on defense and end the game,” Hill said when asked about the pick-six.

But no touchdown dance?

“Oh no, no touchdown dance. Gotta save that for the preseason games,” he said, laughing. “I’ve got something in store, but you’ve gotta save it.”