Dalton Hilliard ranks in the all-time elite tier for running backs β a career that places Hilliard in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Hilliard a career score of 73, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Dalton Hilliard
Height5'8"
Weight196 lb
BornJan 21, 1964
Age62
CollegeLSUSee College Stats
Rookie yr1986
Draft1986 Β· Rd 2, Pick 31 Β· NOR
All-Time Rank & Honors
career ranks, postseason ranks, awards, title context1x
Pro Bowls
A high-end running back defined as much by excellent availability over their career as by their on-field impact (top 10% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 131 Β· #774 Β· High-ValueWorth 131 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back β top 18% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 7 of 8 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +18.7 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
7 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
50
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
7
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+18.7
Avg surplus
peak +41
7 seasons Γ ~18.7 surplus β VORP 131
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
2 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | |||||
| 1986 | β | NO | 16 | β | 121 | 425 | 5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | β | β | β | β | 17 | 107 | 0 | β | 6.3 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | β | NO | 12 | β | 123 | 508 | 7 | 4.1 | 5.7 | β | β | β | β | 23 | 264 | 1 | β | 11.5 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | β | NO | 16 | β | 204 | 823 | 5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | β | β | β | β | 34 | 335 | 1 | β | 9.9 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | β | NO | 16 | β | 334 | 1,262 | 13 | 3.8 | 3.9 | β | β | β | β | 52 | 514 | 5 | β | 9.9 | β | β | β |
| 1990 | β | NO | 6 | β | 90 | 284 | 0 | 3.2 | 0.0 | β | β | β | β | 14 | 125 | 1 | β | 8.9 | β | β | β |
| 1991 | β | NO | 10 | β | 79 | 252 | 4 | 3.2 | 5.1 | β | β | β | β | 21 | 127 | 1 | β | 6.0 | β | β | β |
| 1992 | β | NO | 16 | β | 115 | 445 | 3 | 3.9 | 2.6 | β | β | β | β | 48 | 465 | 4 | β | 9.7 | β | β | β |
| 1993 | β | NO | 16 | β | 50 | 165 | 2 | 3.3 | 4.0 | β | β | β | β | 40 | 296 | 1 | β | 7.4 | β | β | β |
| Career | β | 108 | β | 1,116 | 4,164 | 39 | 3.7 | 3.5 | β | β | β | 0 | 249 | 2,233 | 14 | β | 9.0 | β | β | β | |
Rushing
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 22 | NO | 16 | β | 121 | 425 | 5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | β | β | β | 11.3 |
| 1987 | 23 | NO | 12 | β | 123 | 508 | 7 | 4.1 | 5.7 | β | β | β | 12.9 |
| 1988 | 24 | NO | 16 | β | 204 | 823 | 5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | β | β | β | 15.2 |
| 1989 | 25 | NO | 16 | β | 334 | 1,262 | 13 | 3.8 | 3.9 | β | β | β | 26.6 |
| 1990 | 26 | NO | 6 | β | 90 | 284 | 0 | 3.2 | 0.0 | β | β | β | 5.5 |
| 1991 | 27 | NO | 10 | β | 79 | 252 | 4 | 3.2 | 5.1 | β | β | β | 9.4 |
| 1992 | 28 | NO | 16 | β | 115 | 445 | 3 | 3.9 | 2.6 | β | β | β | 16.3 |
| 1993 | 29 | NO | 16 | β | 50 | 165 | 2 | 3.3 | 4.0 | β | β | β | 11.1 |
| Career | 108 | 1,116 | 4,164 | 39 | 3.7 | β | β | β | β | 108.3 |
Receiving
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 22 | NO | 16 | β | β | 17 | 107 | 0 | β | 6.3 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | 23 | NO | 12 | β | β | 23 | 264 | 1 | β | 11.5 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | 24 | NO | 16 | β | β | 34 | 335 | 1 | β | 9.9 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | 25 | NO | 16 | β | β | 52 | 514 | 5 | β | 9.9 | β | β | β |
| 1990 | 26 | NO | 6 | β | β | 14 | 125 | 1 | β | 8.9 | β | β | β |
| 1991 | 27 | NO | 10 | β | β | 21 | 127 | 1 | β | 6.0 | β | β | β |
| 1992 | 28 | NO | 16 | β | β | 48 | 465 | 4 | β | 9.7 | β | β | β |
| 1993 | 29 | NO | 16 | β | β | 40 | 296 | 1 | β | 7.4 | β | β | β |
| Career | 108 | 0 | 249 | 2,233 | 14 | β | 9.0 | β | β | β |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 73 Β· GreatA great career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 73 of 100, era-normalized against rush yds/g peers across 8 scored seasons.
68
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
79
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 72.4 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 73Β· confidence 97%
What builds the career mark of 68
On-field 50
Availability 18
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative rush yds/g)
1986bestavg 66elite 701993
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position22
Depth
of 100
Reached 24% of the all-time Rushing Touchdowns leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
24% of the all-time Rushing Touchdowns leader24
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 90%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average RBs aging curve. Group peak age: 21. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
From Scrimmage Β· Career
Scrimmage Yds
6,397
4,164 rush Β· 2,233 recv
Total TDs
53
39 rush Β· 14 recv
Total Touches
1,365
1,116 carries Β· 249 rec
Yds / Touch
4.7
rushing + receiving
College Rushing
College Receiving
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Rickey JacksonLB8yHoby BrennerTE8ySam MillsLB8yEric MartinWR8yToi CookDB7yTommy BarnhardtP6yJohn TiceTE6yWayne MartinDT5yCraig HeywardRB5yFloyd TurnerWR5yDave WaymerDB4yRueben MayesRB4yLonzell HillWR4yGreg ScalesTE4yBrian HansenP3yBrett PerrimanWR3yBennie ThompsonDB3yJoel SmeengeDE3yFred McAfeeRB3yQuinn EarlyWR3ySteve WalshQB3yPat NewmanWR3yMike BuckQB3yJimmy SpencerDB2y
1986 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #31
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterDalton inherited the New Orleans Saints RB room from Rueben Mayes (1986β1990), and handed it to Craig Heyward (1988β1992).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 1993final season
Last recorded season with NO
- 1986draft
Drafted by NOR β Round 2, Pick 31
- 1986team change
Joined NO (from NOR)
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts5'8" / 196 lb
Frame
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 8-season peers. See all β
73
peak 79
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
B1986
B1987
B+1988
A+1989
C1990
C+1991
B1992
C+1993
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 8 seasons.
85%
Era Translator
Rush Yds translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Rush Yds | Rush Yds/G | β 2025 Rush Yds | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 425 | 26.6 | 647+222 | 38.1 |
| 1987 | 508 | 42.3 | 1,050+542 | 61.8 |
| 1988 | 823 | 51.4 | 1,302+479 | 76.6 |
| 1989 | 1,262 | 78.9 | 1,904+642 | 112 |
| 1990 | 284 | 47.3 | 1,249+965 | 73.5 |
| 1991 | 252 | 25.2 | 730+478 | 42.9 |
| 1992 | 445 | 27.8 | 782+337 | 46 |
| 1993 | 165 | 10.3 | 428+263 | 25.2 |
Data: nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:players, wikipedia:season-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), wikipedia:college-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), espn.com:stats-api (games-played, facts-only reference) Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
131 career value over replacement β #774 all-time of 4,642. 16.4/season above a replacement-level RB.
Draft OutcomeValue β
Pick #31 (Rd 2) Β· NOR Β· 1986 Β· +18.1 vs expected KV-H
73actual
54.9 expected Β· Ξ+18.1
Fan Rating
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