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UW’s Hill looks to fit in with Saints

METAIRIE, LA. — P.J. Hill punished Big Ten tacklers for three seasons.

The bruising Badger was one of the best running backs to go undrafted by NFL teams last month. Hill ended up signing free-agent deals with the New Orleans Saints for one obvious reason: Deuce McAllister isn’t here any more.

“New Orleans was really giving me an opportunity right off the bat ... and then I feel like coming here I put myself in a good position because of the situation where they’re losing Deuce, you know, like filling the power back role,” Hill said after one of five rookie camp practices scheduled at the Saints’ suburban New Orleans headquarters.

Hill, who is 5-feet-10, 218 pounds, averaged better than 1,000 yards in three seasons at Wisconsin.

“Sometimes I’m so physical that I’ll hit a defender before they hit me,” Hill said. “I’m just out there really wanting it more, just trying to be the strength of the offense.”

He figured he could be drafted as high as the third round. Then he was arrested twice for alleged drunk driving in the months leading up to the draft.

“I know what my situation was, my off-field issues, but it made me grow,” Hill said. “It’s going to make me even hungrier.”

Hill said the Saints were among several teams pursuing him after the draft, including Houston, Seattle and Washington.

Hill fits the mold of McAllister, though he acknowledges that replacing him would be hard for anyone. McAllister is the Saints’ all-time rusher and one of the most popular players in franchise history. If not for season-ending knee injuries in 2005 and 2007, the Saints may not have released him.

For now, the Saints’ top two running backs are Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, both smaller, versatile running backs best-suited for running off-tackle, executing screens or catching short passes.

The Saints still need a big running back that can get hard yards inside and wear down defenses by delivering as much punishment as they take.

The Saints tried to get one by proposing a trade with New England that would have given New Orleans a second first-round pick while Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells was available.

The Patriots declined, and the Saints, who had only four selections in this year’s draft, ended up using their three remaining later-round picks on a linebacker, safety and punter.

“A lot has been made of us potentially taking a runner in the draft,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said. “And then when you don’t draft one, or you only have four picks, I think the player who’s waiting at the end of the draft can say, “Hey, they only had four draft picks and they didn’t draft a runner. This might be a good place.’”