LSU’s Chris Hilton Jr. On Cusp Of Season He Has Craved: “You’ll See A Whole Bunch Of Dances”

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

ATLANTA – If you have not paid close attention, you may have missed Chris Hilton Jr.’s career at LSU. It has basically been a flash and a glimpse here and there for four seasons.

The deep threat plans on changing that in his fifth-year senior campaign for the Tigers in 2025.

“I’ve had a rough road, you know? Things haven’t gone as planned,” he said at the Southeastern Conference Media Days here on Monday.

Various injuries plagued the No. 5 wide receiver in the nation following his signing with the Tigers before the 2021 season after starring in football and track at Zachary High. He played in just eight games in his first two seasons in ’21 and ’22, making only nine catches for 190 yards with a touchdown. He played a career-high 11 games in a season in 2023 and made 13 catches for 225 yards with two touchdowns.

Last year was supposed to be his year, but an ankle injury kept him sidelined until mid-season, and he struggled until the final two games.

“I would say one of the best things I did since I’ve been here was open the Bible and just started reading,” he said. “That’s kind of how I got back to myself, which you all saw the last two games. That’s the product of God having his hand on me.”

Hilton caught nine passes over those two games for 198 yards and three touchdowns. His 40-yard TD catch from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who came in with him in the 2021 class, gave the Tigers a 24-17 lead over Oklahoma with 45 seconds left in the first half of the season finale. His 45-yard TD in the third quarter put LSU up 31-17 in a 37-17 win.

In the Texas Bowl against Baylor, he caught seven passes for 113 yards in a 44-31 win. His 41-yard score in the second quarter gave LSU a 21-7 lead.

LSU’s Chris Hilton Jr. with a pure nasty catch while being interfered with in the Texas Bowl pic.twitter.com/H8QSd1yAzL

— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) December 31, 2024

Entering 2025, he is injury free.

“I would say I’m just really excited to see what I can do,” he said. “Obviously everybody knows that I’ve been injured in the past, and I plan to keep that in the past.”

Nussmeier can’t wait to have him as a vertical option all season for a change.

“I’m super proud of him for the way he attacked his rehab, getting back last year,” he said. “I think in the end of the year, you saw the Chris Hilton we were talking about. Chris is a special player. His speed, on top of his quickness and his catch-and-run ability is special.”

Nussmeier remembers connecting with Hilton in his first quarterback start at the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa during the 2023 season. He hit him for a 14-yard touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game at 28. The Tigers won 35-31.

“Chris has always been able to make plays vertically every single time, but also intermediate plays and even in the quick game as well,” Nussmeier said. “I think he’s really grown as a complete and total receiver. Very excited for him.”

Hilton leads a talented and fast group of receivers as junior Aaron Anderson and senior Zavion Thomas return with transfers Barion Brown, Destyn Hill and Nic Anderson, who is recuperating from a car accident Friday.

“We think this is going to be short term. It wasn’t quite as bad as Colin Hurley’s.”
-LSU’s Brian Kelly on WR Nic Anderson’s injury from car accident Friday.https://t.co/msR6mHUO6S

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) July 14, 2025

“I don’t think we have a receiver that runs over a 4.4 (time in the 40-yard dash). That’s exciting. A lot of versatility and a lot of speed,” Nussmeier said.

“We’re going to be really dynamic, very explosive,” Hilton said. “You’re going to see a whole bunch of dances, a whole lot of celebrations. Garrett has become more of a vocal leader. The sky’s the limit for him. He can do whatever he wants to do.”

Hilton also better understands the louder vocal leadership of LSU coach Brian Kelly, who has tended to tongue lash Hilton at times on the sidelines.

“You better be (expletive deleted) coachable,” Kelly tells Hilton in a famous rant last season.

Brian Kelly screams at LSU receiver Chris Hilton Jr. because he keeps jumping, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/LpAY5Su1Tz

— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) November 18, 2024

“I would say he wants what’s best for his players,” Hilton said. “That’s been his main thing. He wants what’s best for us. And he’s going to push us to be our best.”

But it’s not always criticism from Kelly.

“The one thing that I don’t think people really know about him is he cracks a lot of jokes,” Hilton said. “Like a bunch of them.”