Player Previews: Will WR Eugene Hilton Jr's Loyalty be Rewarded?

The promising wideout spurned the SEC to return to Madison.

Wisconsin wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. | Jake Kocorowski

Over the course of the summer leading up to Big Ten Media Days and fall camp, Badgers On SI will extensively preview Wisconsin football's roster with a write-up for each player expected to be remotely involved in 2026.

We continue the series with T.Y. Hilton's son, wideout Eugene Hilton Jr.

2025 Stats

Eight catches (12 targets) , 91 yards

Overview

Hilton's stats from his true freshman season are far from eyebrow raising, especially when you consider that nearly half of his production came off one 42-yard catch against Oregon. But dig deeper, and you understand why it was so crucial to keep the wideout in Madison ahead of his sophomore campaign.

First of all, Hilton saw the field immediately as a true freshman in Wisconsin's lackluster wide receiver room. He immediately earned a rotational role on the perimeter, and though he didn't put up big numbers (like the rest of Wisconsin's broken offense) he looked the part.

Hilton's body was already ready for the physicality of the Big Ten, and he displayed strong hands and an unsurprising intrinsic feel for the game that was clearly passed down from his NFL wide receiver father. Perhaps the best example of that was his gorgeous head-fake on tailback Darrion Dupree's 82-yard touchdown run against Illinois.

Never seen this- #13 Wisconsin True Freshman WR Eugene Hilton completely fakes Illinois defender that is covering him in man on this long run. pic.twitter.com/4OV7jcnaVZ

— Robert Smith (@Robert26Smith) November 26, 2025

Hilton initially entered the transfer portal, and saw interest from several SEC schools before electing to return to Madison.

“For me, it was making sure what happened last year doesn’t happen again. Cause, I didn’t wanna waste another year. I wanted to make sure we were gonna do things right here. We’re gonna make big plays, we’re gonna have the right guys. Not saying that we didn’t last year, but I just think that we needed to make bigger strides, because obviously we weren’t good enough last year," he said this spring.

Best-Case Scenario

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hilton is still pushing for a starting role, and fall camp will be huge for his initial position on the Badgers' first depth chart. I wholeheartedly expect him to at least crack the two-deep, but he may still be on the outside looking in for a "starting" role.

Still, in a room full of unproven receivers, Hilton should get every chance to shine. If the season goes according to plan, the wideout immediately makes an impact whenever he rotates into the game. His blocking is superb and earns him reps, and he develops into one of the Badgers' most technically skilled wideouts and a consistent chain mover. 500-700 yards isn't out of the question in this scenario.

“He’s a guy that has the ability to do a multitude of things, and that’s exciting," wide receivers coach Ari Confessor said this spring. "Where you’ve seen him grow is how he’s blocking on the perimeter.”

Worst-Case Scenario

If Hilton ends up regretting his decision to stay in Madison, it's likely because he's the victim of another lethargic offense. If this kid gets the opportunity to start and/or play a hefty amount of snaps, I don't see him squandering that.

“It’s nice that we have a bunch of aggressive quarterbacks," Hilton said this spring.

Listen to the young wideout talk, and you have real reason to believe the Badgers have finally figured out the quarterback position.

“You see it before he even calls the play. You see it as he’s walking towards the huddle. He just brings a lot of confidence and swagger to our team," Hilton said of Colton Joseph.

Prediction

Wisconsin WR Eugene Hilton | Christian Borman

Wisconsin knows it needs to get Hilton involved this season, lest it lose him in the portal once again. He'll get his fair share of opportunities, and like the rest of the Badgers' skill players, he'll go as the offense goes.

Still, I can see Hilton's skillset and football IQ meshing quite well with Joseph's scrambling, extend-the-play tendencies. The young receiver understands the nuances of getting open and manipulating defensive backs, and I can see him becoming an outlet for the quarterback pretty quickly.

With that being said, this is a crowded recevier room and while I certainly see Hilton improving upon his stat-line from his freshman season, I'd imagine another modest year — something in the neighborhood of 300-400 yards — seems reasonable.