Ronnie Hillman poses for the media at Broncos headquarters. (Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

I’m really excited about newly drafted running back Ronnie Hillman. I think he’ll be a nice compliment to Willis McGahee and take some pressure off of Peyton Manning.

To get to know the man the Broncos drafted 67th overall, I asked David Frerker of Surf the Spear some questions about Hillman and what we can expect. Surf the Spear is Fansided”s San Diego State site.

Can Hillman make an immediate impact in the backfield for the Broncos?

Yes, but it will take a little bit of time for him to get into the NFL mindset.

What were his strengths and weaknesses at SDSU?

Hillman has many strengths and they include speed and balance. He  also has a knack for the open field. When Ronnie would get the hand off, the first thing he would do is look at the opposition of the opposing teams secondary. That way he could hit the gaps created by the offensive line without having to think about that lineman. Once that occurs, Hillman is hard to catch.

HIllman had two weaknesses at San Diego State, and they were catching and big 300-pound + lineman. When big lineman would explode into the backfield, Hillman tended to become a diagonal runner instead of hitting the hole and getting into the open field. He constantly works on improving his receiving skills and it shows.

He’s being compared to Darren Sproles. Is that a good comparison?

Comparing his to Spoles is semi inaccurate. Hillamn was never a punt or kick returner at SDSU, and I don’t see him returning kicks in the NFL. Hillman does compare to Sproles in the backfield. I think Hillman like to run and will get more handoffs than Sproles had on the Chargers and on the Saints. I can see him being used in the screen game in the exact fashion that Sproles had been used. I would compare Hillman to our alumni, Marshall Faulk. He beat almost all of Faulk’s rushing records and SDSU and is looking forward to the chance to set them in the NFL.

Any idea what Hillman is like off the field?

He pushes himself hard and is always in the gym. He does have a daughter, which is one of the main reasons he left SDSU for the NFL Draft.

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Ronnie Hillman is already used to playing at Qualcomm Stadium. (Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE)

When Ronnie Hillman gets ahead of an entire defense, there’s no looking back. The former San Diego State running back thinks touchdown every time he gets his hands on the ball.

In college, Hillman had nine runs of 40+ yards and six runs of 50+ yards. He doesn’t get caught from behind with 4.45 speed.

“You really can teach a player how to run, but you can’t teach them the vision,” Hillman said. “I think I’ve been blessed with the ability to see and be able to tackle the game the way that I do…Most of the time, I don’t even look at the front line. I look at linebacker and safety. That actually helps me a lot.”

That’s precisely why the Broncos drafted Hillman with the 67th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Broncos needed someone to split carries with Willis McGahee. McGahee had 1,199 yards on 249 carries last season. A back over 30 years old shouldn’t have to carry that much weight. Plus, the team lost a lot of their ground production from last season when they sent Tim Tebow to the Jets.

“We just like his production, his explosiveness when he touches the ball,” John Fox said. “He makes big plays.”

He’s being compared to Darren Sproles for a variety of reasons.

“There’s some similarities, but I don’t think we’re exactly mirror image,” Hillman said. “We’re two different people, two different players, but I could do some of the stuff he does.”

Like Sproles, Hillman can be a receiving threat out of the backfield for Peyton Manning in addition to his running. He had 24 receptions for 270 yards and one touchdown threw the air in 2011.

Hillman is not yet 21 years old, but he doesn’t think his youth hinders him.

“I think it’s an advantage,” Hillman said. “I’ve got a lot of room to grow, and I get to learn from a 10-year veteran, Willis McGahee. I can’t wait to get here.”

If Hillman pans out to be the kind of back that the Broncos hope for, look for Knowshon Moreno to take on a third down back role.

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The Chargers last game against the Bolts will be a tough test.(Eric Lars Bakke/Denver Broncos)

The Broncos can wash their hands of the San Diego Chargers after November 27th.  After playing the Chiefs in Kansas City and then hosting the New York Jets four days later, playing the Chargers in San Diego is a lot like those last few miles in a marathon. More than anything, the mental toughness needs to be there because the physical strength will be waning.

Since I’ve already done a recap of the Chargers from last season, let’s take a look at what they did in the draft.
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