STARKVILLE — Mississippi State running back and Columbus native Kylin Hill is opting out of the rest of the 2020 season.
After it was reported last week that Hill was leaning toward ending his MSU career early to prepare for the NFL draft, the former Columbus High School standout confirmed the news officially via a Facebook post Tuesday morning.
“2020 has been an unprecedented year, filled with uncertainty due to a pandemic that has forced all of us to adapt as best as possible,” he wrote in a lengthy announcement. “With that, and after much prayer and discussion with my family, I have decided to opt out for the remainder of the season and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.”
Hill added in a subsequent tweet that his family, including his mother, had been affected by COVID-19 and that his brother recently had brain surgery.
Since reports surfaced regarding Hill’s status, head coach Mike Leach twice said he had not heard from Hill.
A source with knowledge of the situation previously told The Dispatch that Hill would be suspended for MSU’s game against Texas A&M game on Oct. 17 though the reasoning for it and whether it would be a one-game suspension was unclear.
Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported last week the suspension occurred due to Hill’s involvement in an outburst following MSU’s loss to Kentucky on Oct. 10.
Hill did not appear in uniform during MSU’s 41-0 loss to No. 2 Alabama on Saturday.
With his MSU career now officially over, Hill finishes with 2,535 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. During his junior season in 2019, he concluded the year with 1,350 yards — just 41 shy of Anthony Dixon’s single-season MSU record — to lead the Southeastern Conference at the end of the regular season.
Hill’s legacy will also be remembered for his activism during the 2020 offseason. A notable voice in the discussion surrounding the removal of the Confederate battle emblem from the Mississippi state flag, he threatened to sit out the season should it not be changed. Hill was given a key to the city of Columbus in late July.
“Mississippi Will always be my home,” he wrote Tuesday. “We’ve made history together both on and off the field, and as we move on to the next level, that will only continue.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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