Is LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. a breakout candidate in 2024?
LSU’s wide receiver room will look different in 2024. The gap left by [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] is a big one, which has led to many calling for a breakout year from receivers like [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag].
As far as breakout candidates go, Lacy and Daniels make sense. Lacy, a fifth-year senior, will enter his third year at LSU. He knows the offense, knows quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], and his 18.6 yards per catch in 2023 lead all qualified SEC returners.
Daniels was one of the top receivers on the transfer market after racking up 1,000 yards and leading the country in yards per route run at Liberty.
It’s understandable why those two are getting most of the preseason hype, but does that leave some other receivers flying under the radar? That could be the case with [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], who’s finally getting his chance in 2024.
Hilton arrived as a member of that 2021 recruiting class that was loaded at receiver. Along with Nabers and Thomas, that class included blue-chips [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] and [autotag]Deion Smith[/autotag]. Three years later, Hilton is the last one standing at LSU.
He was a highly touted recruit and 247Sports ranked Hilton as the top receiver in the class. He didn’t make much noise as a freshman, catching just two passes for 81 yards in a touchdown.
That touchdown came in garbage time against Kansas State in the bowl game, but Hilton put his speed on display.
In 2022, Hilton was set to be a part of the rotation. He was targeted eight times in Week 2 before getting the start against Mississippi State in Week 3. But in Week 4 against New Mexico, he tore his ACL and his year was done.
In 2023, we know what the deal was. Nabers and Thomas were a historic duo, swallowing up the majority of the targets. Throw in Lacy with tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag], as well as the rushing ability of [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], and there wasn’t much offensive production left for players like Hilton.
That chance is there now. Hilton is projected to start for LSU and if the bowl game was any indication, he has a decent rapport with Nussmeier.
Nussmeier had some praise for Hilton after that performance.
According to PFF, Hilton’s top two graded games in 2023 were his final two. That strong finish could be indicative of more to come in 2024.
With Daniels gone, LSU needs to find a way to drum up big plays. Having a receiver with Hilton’s size on the outside that can fly is one way to do that.
Nearly 40% of Hilton’s targets in 2023 were deep balls. He’ll be tasked with becoming a more complete pass catcher this fall, but that go-ball ability will be critical to LSU’s offense.
Lacy is the favorite to be LSU’s No. 1 target, but Hilton should be in the conversation too. Hilton’s yards per route run was just ahead of Lacy in 2023 and it wouldn’t be a shock if Hilton put it all together to have an all-conference campaign.
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