Throughout the pre-draft process leading into the 2026 NFL Draft, many outlets and analysts connected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles to the Tennessee Titans due to his comparison to kinebacker Fred Warner, and the success he had under coach Robert Saleh. This made sense on many levels, and Styles was more than worthy of being the fourth overall selection.
However, that marriage didn’t come to fruition; the Titans took Carnell Tate instead and didn’t draft a linebacker until the second round, when they selected Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
While Hill isn’t a Warner clone, he has been compared to an elite linebacker who, ironically, got his start under the Titans’ new defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley: Bobby Wagner.
In his post-combine prospect scouting report, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Hill to Wagner when breaking down his skill set and traits.
Three-down linebacker with the playing demeanor and production of a future Pro Bowler. He posted 31.5 TFLs, 17 sacks, and eight forced fumbles in his three seasons at Texas, making an impact in every phase. He’s instinctive, athletic, and under control, transitioning seamlessly from read to react to finish. He plays with downhill thump to thwart interior blocks and the speed to pursue runners from sideline to sideline. Hill has plus cover talent in man or zone, proven credentials as a blitzer or edge rusher, and finishes plays as a strong, reliable tackler. Consistency and field command make him one of the safer linebackers in the class. His size, speed, and versatility allow him to profile as an instant-impact rookie at Mike or Will ‘backer.
From this comparison and evaluation, it is no wonder that Bradley was ecstatic during the initial phone conversation with Hill following the selection.
“I’m ready, I’m ready to have some fun” making @thegoatanthony1 a Tennessee Titan
Draft Room Call presented by @Verizonpic.twitter.com/x1jW9XwOX1
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) April 25, 2026
Hill will get his first chance to show what he can do to help change the Titans’ fortunes this weekend when he joins his fellow rookies at Vanderbilt Medical Football Center for the team’s rookie minicamp.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Did Tennessee Titans DC Gus Bradley land his next Bobby Wagner?