Ohio State Linebacker Justin Hilliard Accepts Invitation to 2021 Senior Bowl

After six years at Ohio State, Justin Hilliard is moving on to the next level and has accepted an invitation to this year's Senior Bowl.

We would like to OFFICIALLY welcome @OhioStateFB LB Justin Hilliard (@JHilliard47) to the 2021 @Reeses Senior Bowl! #GoBuckeyes #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE @JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/iIS2BAkRCm

— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) January 16, 2021

Hilliard is currently one of five Buckeyes set to play in this year's game, along with fellow linebackers Tuf Borland and Baron Browning, running back Trey Sermon and defensive end Jonathon Cooper. Left tackle Thayer Munford also previously accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, but is no longer listed among the accepted invites, indicating that he will not make the trip to Mobile.

Hilliard received a waiver to return to Ohio State for a sixth season and made the most of it, finishing the 2020 season with 33 total tackles, a team-high five tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.

Though the NCAA's decision to grant all players an additional year of eligibility would allow Hilliard to return for an unprecedented seventh year at Ohio State if he wanted to, his acceptance of a Senior Bowl invitation indicates he plans to move on to the NFL. Hilliard, who earned a master's degree from Ohio State in December, said last week that it was “completely” his intention to move on from the Buckeyes after the national championship game.