True freshman Eugene Hilton Jr. poised for an early role in the Wisconsin football offense
The freshman is expected to be in the rotation of receivers this season for the Wisconsin Badgers offense.
The Wisconsin football team landed wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. last June as a part of its 2025 recruiting class. If his name seems familiar, it’s probably because you know his dad, T.Y. Hilton, who starred for the Indianapolis Colts from 2012-2021.
Hilton Jr. was considered just a 3-star prospect according to most online recruiting sites, including 247Sports. But even though he wasn’t rated very highly, you wouldn’t know it with his offer list. Along with Wisconsin, Hilton held offers from Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Illinois, Indiana, and many more.
The 6’1” true freshman enrolled early, participating in the Badgers’ spring practices, and from the very start, his name kept popping up as a player who was doing some impressive things. While that was encouraging, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll get early playing time.
But when fall camp came around, Eugene Hilton Jr. continued to make plays and catch the eyes of the staff and media. It made you start to wonder how long the coaching staff would be able to keep him off the field.
Video via Wisconsin Football’s social media.
You have Vinny Anthony, Ohio State transfer Jayden Ballard, and Trech Kekahuna all slotted to be atop the wide receiver depth chart. After that? It’s kind of murky. Redshirt junior Chris Brooks Jr. has been a player who has been mentioned as someone who has made plays in spring practices in the past, but has never been able to get consistent playing time on the offense.
Hawaii transfer Dekel Crowdus has some serious speed that should get him on the field, but he and Kyan Berry Johnson aren’t necessarily boundary receivers. I think there’s a path where we would see Hilton Jr. get some playing time this season, and when Jeff Grimes met with the media after practice on Friday, he confirmed that.
“Yeah, I mean, he will definitely have a role,” Grimes told reporters after practice. “Right now, I don’t want to put numbers on it, but he’s one of our better receivers when you’re asking a guy to run a route in a way that it is designed to be run, create separation, and then go up and make a play on the ball. He just has a knack for getting open, and he doesn’t drop balls.
Another important factor in Hilton getting playing time right away is doing the right things when he isn’t getting the ball. Recievers who can block are always valuable to an offense. It’s not a common thing when a true freshman can come in and be an effective blocker. Grimes talked about Hilton’s ability to learn how to be a blocker in addition to a receiving threat.
“The other thing on top of that, where he’s grown, is in his blocking. In the spring, like a lot of freshman receivers, he didn’t really know that was a thing, that that was part of the job responsibility,” the Wisconsin offensive coordinator joked. “But he’s grown a lot in terms of his toughness, and right now, he will definitely play. He’ll be in the rotation.”
The excitement around Eugene Hilton Jr. is more than just offseason hype; it’s a direct result of his performance. His ability to get open and his willingness to do the dirty work has solidified his place on the depth chart. He’s not just a receiver with a famous last name; he's a Badger with the skill and toughness to make a real difference, and his presence will be a major boost to the offense this fall and beyond.
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