Meridian High School senior Daniel Hill prefers to line up at running back for the Wildcats, but just one of the major football recruiting services, On3, lists him at the position. ESPN labeled him a tight end, and both Rivals and 247Sports list him as an athlete.

Of those positions, the consensus four-star recruit seems to fit best at athlete because he is a running back, but he is also a tight end. The Wildcats will also play their 6-foot-1, 230-pound utility player at quarterback, wide receiver and kick returner, and he can fill in on defense in critical situations if needed. Hill also has some long-snapping skills in his toolkit for good measure.

“It’s a good thing,” Hill said on being labeled an athlete. “It shows that I’m a very versatile player. It shows that everybody sees my skillset and the many different positions that I play.”

New MHS coach Marcus Boyles said Hill may split time with senior Jordan Siaw at quarterback this season. Hill lined up as a rushing quarterback in former coach John Douglass’ wildcat packages previously, and Hill said he feels like a natural at quarterback.

“When I first started playing football, that was the first position I played, but then I got bigger,” Hill said. “They just started moving me around everywhere, so I feel like I’m pretty good at throwing the ball.”

Douglass said Hill can throw a ball 60 or 70 yards, and he wanted to play him more at quarterback, but Hill was too valuable at other positions.

“He’s got an unbelievable arm,” Douglass said. “Now, there’s obviously a lot more to being an effective passer than just arm strength. He’s going to have to work on those things, and he will, and he’ll get better as the year goes on, but he definitely has the arm talent to play the position.”

Hill has been the focal point of the Wildcats’ offense in the past, even when not at quarterback, which forces defenses to give the playmaker some extra attention regardless of where he is lined up.

“Having a guy like that, it’s invaluable,” Douglass said. “I think that I’ve coached better athletes, but I don’t know that I’ve coached better football players, if that makes sense to you. There’s not many guys that can line up out wide at 225 pounds and really be your best receiver, and then come back in the backfield and be your best running back. … He could be your best linebacker too.”

Hill played linebacker in middle school, and Boyles said he may see a few snaps on defense this season if he is needed. Hill likes playing running back, though, because of the natural versatility of the position.

“I feel like I can do the same things at running back that I can do at receiver,” Hill said. “At running back, you can run the ball, or you can also catch the ball out of the backfield, so that’s a plus. I can line up in the slot, I can line up outside, I can do all that at running back. That’s why that’s the position I want to play in college.”

The senior may see most of his playing time at quarterback this year if he wins the starting job, and he said he is looking forward to leading the team from the quarterback position and helping his teammates make plays. Boyles said he plans on moving Hill around the field regardless of where he starts during games.

“What a big athlete that is strong, that works hard and is such a great competitor,” Boyles said. “I think it gives us an advantage because he can play quarterback, he can play running back, he’s a heck of a receiver, so he’s a guy that we’re going to have to move around because we know that people are going to key in on him, and we’ve got to move him around to give him an opportunity to make plays.”

Hill said he trains hard in the offseasons so he can be as big and fast as possible at the start of each season, and Douglass said Hill’s work ethic is as strong as anyone’s.

“He’s worked as hard as anybody over the past six or seven years since he was in the seventh grade,” Douglass said. “I would be willing to say he’s worked and put time and effort into his skillset as much as anybody in the state.”

The football recruit is a well-rounded athlete that also competed in track and powerlifting at Meridian. Hill won two hurdling state titles for the Wildcats at the track and field state championships last season.

“Track made me faster,” Hill said. “Track has really played a big part in my development as a football player. I’ve been running track since I was little, so that’s really one thing that I was also focused on. Track has really played a big role in how I am as a football player.”

It looks like Hill’s dedication to training and improving as an athlete will pay off soon. Not only is he positioned to achieve his dream of playing at the college level, but he will have plenty of choices.

Hill, who will announce his commitment on Aug. 23, has numerous offers to play in the Southeastern conference, including offers to Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He said Alabama and South Carolina stand out to him at this point.

“It’s been smooth,” Hill said on the recruiting process. “I’m just taking everything and enjoying the process. Not really rushing anything, but at the same time, you’ve got to decide on one school. That’s really been a big thing, just putting everything in order and deciding on what school I would like to go to.”

Hill has dreamed of playing college and professional football since he was young, but he did not dream of playing a specific position. Even at an early age, Hill seemed to know he was destined to line up all over the field.

“That’s always been a dream for me,” Hill said on playing college and professional football. “When you think about it it’s something, but when it’s actually happening, it’s a whole different story, so I’m really grateful and very humbled. I know that God’s the reason that I’m in this position, so I thank him.”