Former NFL player T.Y. Hilton had an exciting Father’s Day weekend as his son, Eugene Hilton Jr, announced his commitment to play college football at Wisconsin. Eugene, a standout wide receiver from Zionsville Community High School in Indiana, chose Wisconsin over other schools like Miami, Georgia, and Ole Miss. This news caught the attention of former Badgers football star J.J. Watt, who expressed his excitement about the recruitment.
Watt, who was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2011 NFL Draft after a successful college career at Wisconsin, took to social media to share his support for the younger Hilton. He mentioned how he was happy to root for a Hilton on the field instead of having to defend against one. Hilton Jr. also responded to Watt’s message, showing their camaraderie and excitement about being on the same “team” now.
The elder Hilton, who had a successful career playing for the Indianapolis Colts and briefly for the Dallas Cowboys before retiring, expressed his pride and joy in his son’s decision to commit to Wisconsin. Eugene mentioned that it meant a lot to him and his family to see that the Badgers met and exceeded their expectations in terms of the program and coaching staff.
One of the aspects that stood out to Eugene was the track record of Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell in developing players for the NFL. Fickell, who took over as head coach in 2022, had previously spent six successful seasons at Cincinnati. This factor, along with the overall program at Wisconsin, played a significant role in Hilton Jr.’s decision.
The commitment of Eugene Hilton Jr. to Wisconsin marks an exciting chapter in his football journey and has garnered support and excitement from both fans and former players like J.J. Watt. As he prepares to make the transition to college football, all eyes will be on him to see how he continues to excel on the field and represent the Hilton name with pride.