Washington State 2025 Player Spotlight: OG Christian Hilborn

Nov 5, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Christian Hilborn (61) blocks against the Stanford Cardinal during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

One of the most crucial keys to the success of any offensive line is its collective experience. For Washington State this upcoming season, a lot of that experience will rest on the shoulders of big #61 Christian Hilborn. A redshirt senior coming into is final season, Hilborn has a wealth of know-how at practically every position along the front and that's something that the Cougars will likely need after an offseason in which they've gone through so much roster turnover. Stability and consistency will be of the utmost importance and Hilborn should bring both in spades.

A native of Salt Lake City, Hilborn is somewhat of a unicorn in today's college football, having spent his entire career with Washington State. He came to Pullman as a three-star prospect out of high school in 2021 and has been a game-changer for the Cougs since. He has appeared in 40 games and started 36 over his four-year career and has steadily seen an increased role as the seasons have gone by.

When asked about his willingness to stay with the program, even in light of the recent coaching staff change, Hilborn was forthcoming with reporters earlier this Spring saying "I genuinely love every single one of these guys. I felt like it would have been a disservice to leave and I didn't really want to leave in the first place."

In 2024, Hilborn was as vital as any to WSU's success. He got nods at right guard, left guard, right tackle and left tackle and was one of the main reasons why the Cougars rushed for 4.6 yards per carry and scored nearly 37 points per game. In 408 pass snaps last season, Hilborn allowed just one sack. He truly was the unsung hero on a prolific offense and his presence for one more year will be huge.

Moving into 2025, the Cougar O line is set to look a lot different and a lot younger. Redshirt sophomoer Ashton Tripp and redshirt junior Johnny Lester are expected to see the bulk of the action on the left side while incoming transfer A.J. Vaipulu is pegged to get the start at right guard. Outside of center, that makes Hilborn the only senior on in the trenches who was with the Cougs last season. His leadership will undoubtedly be leaned on heavily this year.

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