Maxwell Hiller

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-5, 305 lbs. Taller than 8% and heavier than 76% of 2027 Offensive Tackle prospects in the SEC Scouts database (37 with a listed size).

Play Style

Hiller is a physical, athletic run blocker who looks for defenders to finish. His best tape comes on the move: pulling, working combination blocks to the linebacker level and reaching defensive tackles in the zone game, where his feet let him cut off defenders that most 300-pounders can't. At right tackle he plays with good knee bend and leverage and can mirror speed rushers because of his movement skills. Evaluators consistently cite his pancake production and play-to-the-whistle mentality, which fits the physical, run-first identity Florida is building under offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.

Strengths

• Rare mobility for his size. A roughly 4.9 40 at 305 lbs shows up on film when he pulls, climbs to the second level and reaches defenders in wide zone. Yahoo projects him to 'generate movement in zone schemes and climb to linebackers on space runs.'
• Consistent leverage and a finishing mentality. 247's evaluation cites his 'impressive sudden agility,' consistent pad level and frequent pancakes, the traits that let a big lineman win inside at the point of attack.
• Versatile at more than one spot. He started at right tackle in high school and is ranked #1 IOL by 247 and On3, so he can fill tackle or guard depending on need. 247 projects him as an early-round NFL Draft candidate either way.
• Proven against elite competition over time. He was an Under Armour All-American, anchored a 10-3 Coatesville team in 2025, and has had Power 4 offers since 8th grade, so his development has been tracked by top staffs for years.

Areas to Improve

• Settle on a position. Moving between right tackle and guard means refining two sets of pass-protection techniques: vertical and 45-degree sets on the edge, and quick, compact sets against interior twists and stunts. Committing to one spot will speed his development.
• Strength and conditioning for SEC interior play. Pennsylvania high school competition rarely tests anchor strength against 320-pound nose tackles, so his bench, core strength and anchor against bull rushes are the main areas to build in his first college offseason.
• Hand placement and punch timing against top pass rushers. Like most elite high school linemen, he has been able to win on size and athleticism. College tape will reward inside hand placement and hand resets against counter moves.

College Projection

He should compete for early playing time and can realistically start by midseason of his freshman year (2027) at guard, the most direct path given his #1 IOL ranking and Florida's recent struggles recruiting elite linemen. If the tackle depth chart is thin, he could be tried at right tackle early. By his second year he projects as a multi-year starter, all-SEC candidate and leader of the offensive line, with the versatility to move across the line as needs change.

NFL Outlook

Clear first-round potential. Five-star linemen with his size, roughly 4.9 speed and positional versatility are the profile NFL teams want, and 247's evaluation calls him an early-round draft candidate regardless of final position. If he stays at tackle he could be picked in the top half of the first round; as a guard he fits the day-one, plug-and-play mold of recent first-round interior linemen. He would be draft-eligible after the 2029 season, and continued physical development would make him a strong candidate to leave early.

Best Fit

A physical, run-first SEC offense built on a wide and inside zone game with gap-scheme pulls, which is the offense Florida is installing under Sumrall and Faulkner. His ability to climb, pull and reach gets the most use in an outside-zone-heavy scheme, and a staff that develops versatile linemen (starting at guard with the option to play tackle) will get the most out of him before the NFL.