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Jets receiver Stephen Hill, seen here in game action, is trying to finally break through in his third NFL season.

(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Stephen Hill is one of the Jets’ most enigmatic players.

He is physically gifted – a 6-4, 215-pound wide receiver blessed with uncommon speed for his size. But since the Jets drafted him in the second round in 2012, his numbers have not measured up to his potential. In two seasons, as he battled knee injuries both years, he has 45 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns in 23 games.

Healthy now, Hill hopes his third NFL season can be a breakout year. For all of the mysteries (and doubts) about his on-field production, Hill is certainly not enigmatic outside the lines. The 23-year-old is engaging in conversation, whether he is patiently answering questions about his struggles, or discussing his blossoming family.

On Monday, we spotlighted Hill for the Jets' entire practice. You might recall that Dom Cosentino did this last week with cornerback Dee Milliner. As with the Milliner spotlight, we let you, the reader, vote on which player we should document Monday. Out of the 513 votes, Hill received 171 – 58 more than rush linebacker Quinton Coples.

(If you are hankering for some Coples material, check out this story on how he lost 20 pounds in the offseason, and the ways he is trying to hone his pass-rushing skills.)

The Jets need Hill to have a strong season, as a complementary piece to more proven receivers Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley. Moreover, Hill is competing in this training camp with David Nelson for the Jets’ No. 2 outside receiver job.

All of which makes him an intriguing player to spend a couple hours watching at practice. Here is what we saw:

10:07 a.m.: Hill walks slowly toward the practice field from the locker room area, holding his helmet in his right hand. The sun starts to pop out from behind clouds. Hill's body aches. He woke up this morning around 7 with a sore lower back and hips – not a lingering issue, but rather, the product of Saturday night's intrasquad scrimmage, followed by a day off.

Practices following an off day are notoriously difficult on players’ bodies. Coach Rex Ryan calls them “big boy days,” Hill said, because of these challenges, especially at this later stage in training camp, when the effects of long days begin to compound.

“It’s definitely a grind,” Hill said later.

Hill spent his off day Sunday getting physical treatment from the Jets’ trainers, and then relaxing at a nearby hotel with his wife of four months, Sheliza, and their 7-month-old daughter, MacKenzie. They drove up from New Jersey to hang out with him for the weekend, and left after Monday’s practice.

As Hill saunters toward the field – following an 8 a.m. team meeting during which the coaches installed plays – he turns around and sees cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Once again, Patterson is trailing Hill. In the scrimmage, Hill burned Patterson for a 41-yard completion – the sort of the big play the Jets coaches hope Hill can offer more often this year.

10:12 a.m.: Hill joins receiver Jeremy Kerley and running back Chris Johnson in the corner of a practice field. He shakes hands with Johnson.

10:17 a.m.: Stretching lines begin, as a special teams drill unfolds on the opposite practice field. A strength and conditioning coach calls out various stretches, instructing players to perform them: "Hip flexor!" Hill's hips will need all the stretching they can get.

10:27 a.m.: The receivers participate in a drill in which one of them serves as a defensive back, and the other as a receiver. Slow lobs are thrown to the receivers. This is a half-speed drill meant to work on over-the-shoulder catches. Hill partners with Jacoby Ford. Each take two turns serving as a receiver and two as a defensive back. Receivers coach Sanjay Lal tells the receivers to keep their body between the ball and the defender.

10:31 a.m.: In a quick slant route drill against no defender, the receivers work on precision cutting, while catching fast-zipped passes. As the receivers break off their routes toward the sideline, Lal encourages them to keep their eyes up. He speaks in a calm, measured tone. Hill skips most of these drills, as the receivers work on various routes. Hill was not sure how many individual drills he would be able to do Monday, because of his hip aches.

10:37 a.m.: Hill talks to head trainer John Mellody as the receivers run more routes. Hill lies down on his stomach. Mellody bends his legs upward, into an L. Hill then lies on his back. Mellody pushes and pulls his legs, trying to stretch out his hips and lower back.

10:46 a.m.: Hill rejoins the route drill, after watching and doing all sorts of things to stretch his hips – twisting his torso, lunging side to side, bending at the waist. The route Hill rejoins the drill for involves motioning back toward the quarterback, running a quick slant and cutting back toward the sideline. Hill catches his pass and looks sharp running his route. Afterward, he rubs his right hip, just above his butt, with his right thumb.

10:51 a.m.: The receivers begin a walk-through of plays with the offensive line, against no defense. The offense will use these plays later in practice, during 11-on-11 team periods. Hill wants to be ready for team periods, so he rests his hips and does not participate in the walk-through.

11:03 a.m.: Hill returns to action in a one-on-one drill pitting receivers against defensive backs. He runs a 5-yard route against safety Dawan Landry, stutter-steps and makes a catch. A minute later, he stretches his right leg again. On this day, this soreness will require constant monitoring and maintenance.

11:06 a.m.: Still in the one-on-one drill, safety Antonio Allen covers Hill on a go route down the sideline – the sort of route Hill ran often at Georgia Tech. Hill has a step on Allen, but Geno Smith slightly overthrows the deep ball. Hill will make one more catch in the one-on-one drill, with rookie cornerback Dexter McDougle playing press coverage on him. Hill fakes nicely toward the sideline and cuts back in, about 10 yards off the line. Matt Simms completes the throw to him.

11:13 a.m.: Another walk-through period. Hill participates this time. The Jets are working on situational action – the final two and four minutes of a half or game. On one play, all the receivers run go routes for a Hail Mary. Again, there are no defenders for this half-speed play, though there will be later, in team periods. Smith flicks up pass to the end zone that receiver David Nelson tips to Kerley, who tips it to Hill – some wide receiver hijinks. Hill, making like he scored a touchdown in a game, gets down on one knee and playfully points skyward. A few fans watching the action laugh.

11:31 a.m.: In a 7-on-7 drill, Dee Milliner plays press coverage on Hill, who runs 10 yards and cuts back in, to make a catch for a 20-yard completion from Smith. Despite his hip pain, Hill seems to be running his routes well.

11:33 a.m.: Hill is wide open in the 7-on-7 period, streaking down the middle of the field. But Michael Vick does not throw him the ball. Hill has gotten past Darrin Walls in zone coverage. As Hill reaches the end zone, he kicks a pylon in mock frustration at having not been thrown the ball. "Just having a little fun out there," Hill said later, by way of explanation. "We can't be too uptight all the time."

But Hill does have a serious purpose in 7-on-7 drills even when he is not catching passes. Route running was not a natural part of his game coming out of college, where he rarely caught passes in a run-focused offense. Most of his actual receiving duties involved running straight go routes for deep balls. As an NFL player, he has had to focus a lot on route running. Having worked through these challenges, he admires teammates with precise footwork, like Kerley.

“You’ve just got to work on every single part of your technique, especially if the ball is not coming to you,” Hill said. “Just making sure you’re staying low and cutting in the right direction.”

11:51 a.m.: Hill is in for the first rep of team periods, against Walls, who is press covering him. Hill continues his consistent day with another catch, for about 10 yards, after cutting in toward the middle of the field. Despite sitting out some individual drills, Hill will not miss any of his scheduled action in team periods, which matter most.

11:55 a.m.: Hill encounters his first hiccup of the day – at least the first one that is obvious to the untrained eye. He runs a deep go route, but turns around way too late – after Smith's well-placed pass has landed on the ground in front of him. These are the sort of mistakes that can kill a late-game comeback drive – the type of situation the Jets are working on in this practice. Smith yells at Hill, wondering why he did not turn around in time. This is the most upset Smith has been all practice. Hill does not yell back.

11:59 a.m.: Hill stands in a group of receivers. Smith approaches him. They talk for a few minutes about the miscue. Smith gestures with his hands, pointing and angling them in the manner of a receiver running a route. Hill listens, processing his only major mistake of the day.

“It was a miscommunication,” Hill said later. “I just didn’t feel that (the throw) was going to come (toward my) back shoulder. I should’ve peeked a little bit earlier. I’m glad we did it there instead of in a game.”

Hill clarified that this particular late-game play is such that his route does not demand he turn for the ball at a specific distance down the field – as is prescribed for other routes. This is a deep ball situation – when the Jets are pressed for time – that relies more on timing and “feel” with the quarterback, Hill said.

He said his conversation with Smith centered on “just trying to figure out when should I look – or at that part of the game, how should we take care of that (timing).”

12:07 p.m.: Hill gathers with a group of several others receivers as a field goal drill begins. (As it turned out, Hill's miscue on Smith's deep ball was the final time Monday that the ball was thrown in Hill's direction.) Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg comes over and talks to the receivers for a few minutes. What did he say?

“Basically (that) we’ve got a game on Thursday (the preseason opener against the Colts), and we’ve just got to pick it up, so we can make sure we’ve got our timing correctly, so we don’t have to have any miscommunications out there on Thursday,” Hill said.

Hill added that Mornhinweg emphasized to the receivers the importance of establishing timing with their quarterback.

12:10 p.m.: The Jets huddle to end their penultimate practice in Cortland before the preseason opener. Hill and the receivers stay afterward for a few minutes, to work on route running, as the quarterbacks throw them passes. Then Hill lifts weights for 45 minutes, and makes plans to take a dip in a cold tub and attend evening meetings, where the coaches will review the scrimmage film with the players. Hill's practice has ended, but like so many other days at training camp, his work is far from finished.