You’ve seen him outrun entire secondaries in the NFL. He’s the "Cheetah," arguably the fastest human to ever strap on a pair of cleats. But if you look at his journey to the pros, it isn’t the typical blue-chip, four-year-at-Alabama story. Honestly, it’s a bit of a maze. People often ask what college did tyreek hill go to because the answer isn’t just one school—it’s three different stops across three very different levels of football.
Hill’s path was basically a mix of elite track speed, Division I stardom, and a sudden, quiet finish at a small school in Alabama. If you're looking for the short answer: he attended Garden City Community College, Oklahoma State University, and the University of West Alabama.
But the "where" is only half the story. The "why" is much more intense.
The JUCO Jumpstart: Garden City Community College
Before he was a household name, Hill was a track phenom out of Coffee High School in Georgia. He was so fast that his high school 200m time would have placed him sixth in the 2012 Olympic finals. Crazy, right? Despite that world-class speed, he didn’t head straight to a Power Five powerhouse.
He started at Garden City Community College in Kansas.
During his time with the Broncbusters (2012–2013), he was a nightmare for local defensive coordinators. In 2013 alone, he put up over 650 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards. He wasn't just a gadget player; he was the engine of that offense. Naturally, every major program in the country started calling.
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The Big Stage: Oklahoma State University
By 2014, Hill had made the jump to the big leagues, signing with Oklahoma State University. This is where most fans first remember seeing him. He wasn't just "fast for college"; he was noticeably faster than everyone else on a field full of future NFL players.
At Oklahoma State, Hill became a Swiss Army knife for Mike Gundy. He did everything.
- Special Teams: He was the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
- The Bedlam Return: His 92-yard punt return against Oklahoma is still legendary in Stillwater.
- All-Purpose Yards: He racked up 1,811 all-purpose yards in just one season.
His time at OSU was electric, but it ended abruptly. In December 2014, Hill was arrested for domestic violence. The university dismissed him from the football and track teams almost immediately. For a while, it looked like his football career was over.
The Final Chapter: University of West Alabama
After being dismissed from OSU, Hill needed a second chance. He found it at the University of West Alabama, a Division II school in Livingston.
It wasn't an easy sell. The head coach at the time, Brett Gilliland, actually turned Hill down at first after reading the police reports. It took a lot of convincing from Hill’s former coaches and a deep dive into his plea agreement—which required him to be a full-time student or employee—for the school to take him in.
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In 2015, Hill played 11 games for the Tigers. Interestingly, his stats weren't actually as "video game-like" as you'd expect for a guy of his caliber playing at the DII level. He averaged about 135 all-purpose yards per game. He was used as a running back, receiver, and returner, but he didn't even crack 100 yards rushing or receiving in most games.
Still, the NFL scouts weren't looking at the box scores; they were looking at the stopwatch.
The 2016 NFL Draft and the Chiefs
Because of his off-field history, Hill wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. That’s usually a death sentence for a draft prospect. However, he held a Pro Day at West Alabama that basically broke the internet (well, the 2016 version of it). He ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash.
The Kansas City Chiefs eventually took a massive PR risk and drafted him in the fifth round (165th overall). The rest, as they say, is history. He went from a Division II return specialist to a Super Bowl champion and a multi-time All-Pro.
Why His College Path Matters Today
When you look back at what college did tyreek hill go to, you see the blueprint of a player who had to rebuild his reputation from the ground up. He went from the heights of the Big 12 to the quiet fields of Livingston, Alabama.
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Whether you're a fan of his or not, his collegiate journey is a case study in how elite talent can survive a "broken" path. He is one of the few players in modern history to be drafted out of a DII school and immediately become a superstar.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're tracking Tyreek Hill's history, keep these specific stops in mind:
- Garden City CC: The "proving ground" where his speed first went viral.
- Oklahoma State: The peak of his college fame, where he proved he could burn Big 12 secondaries.
- West Alabama: The "second chance" stop that allowed him to enter the NFL Draft despite being dismissed from a major program.
If you want to see just how much Hill's game has changed since his West Alabama days, you should go back and watch his 2015 highlights compared to his Miami Dolphins tape. In college, he was almost purely a "speed guy." Today, he’s one of the most technically sound route runners in the league. It’s a pretty wild evolution for a kid who started his journey in Garden City.
Check out the official NFL archives or the West Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame page to see more on his specific records and induction details from 2023.