Washington Commanders Rookie Watch: UDFA Chris Hilton Jr.

With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, the Commanders finally have the opportunity to evaluate their roster in person and fine-tune the unit before the summer heat of training camp. This past week, Washington invited their recent draft picks, along with a group of priority Undrafted Free Agents (UDFAs), to rookie minicamp for a firsthand look at the prospects who could contribute this fall.

As expected, high-profile selections like Sonny Styles and Antonio Williams stood out in their debuts. However, there are several under-the-radar prospects I’ll be watching closely as the offseason progresses.

One of those players is Chris Hilton Jr., a former LSU wide receiver who signed with Washington as a UDFA. In a receiver room looking to build out its depth, Hilton has a legitimate path to a roster spot—or at least the practice squad—and could serve as a dangerous deep-threat reunion for Jayden Daniels.

Hilton is a 23-year-old rookie from Zachary, Louisiana. In high school, he was a multi-sport phenom, shining as a two-time state champion in the high jump—famously clearing 7 feet as a sophomore. He also was a high-profile wideout. As a junior, he hauled in 58 catches for 1,202 yards and 18 touchdowns, including a legendary 81-yard "walk-off" touchdown in the 2018 state semifinals.

This pedigree led to Hilton becoming a consensus top-100 recruit. Ranked as the #4 overall player in Louisiana and a top-10 WR in the 2021 class, he was recruited by the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame. Ultimately, he chose to stay home at LSU, looking to follow the "Wide Receiver U" lineage of Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Justin Jefferson. He finished his high school career with over 2,100 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns.

Hilton’s career in Baton Rouge was filled with flashes of brilliance, but his production was unfortunately hampered by a string of injuries. Despite spending five seasons with the Tigers, he rarely stayed on the field for a full campaign. He redshirted as a freshman after undergoing surgery for meniscus tears in both knees.

In 2022, he was limited to just four games again, though he showed his potential in his lone start with seven catches for 109 yards. Unfortunately, a shoulder labrum surgery ended that season prematurely. By 2023, he managed to stay healthy for 11 games, posting a staggering 17.3 yards per catch. He carved out a specialized role as the "vertical threat" in a Jayden Daniels-led offense, though he naturally sat behind future first-rounders Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. on the depth chart.

Despite the "injury-prone" label, Hilton showed incredible resilience. He is believed to be the first player in college football history to participate in four postseason All-Star games in a single cycle (Hula, American, East-West Shrine, and Senior Bowl). Scouts desperately needed to see him healthy and consistent, and he answered the bell every time.

On paper, Hilton’s career stats (41 receptions for 780 yards and six touchdowns) look modest. However, the context is in the explosive efficiency: eight of those 41 catches (nearly 20%) went for 40+ yards.

Beyond the offense, Hilton was known as an excellent "gunner" on special teams at LSU. For a UDFA, that is the golden ticket to a 53-man roster. At the NFL Combine, Hilton clocked a 4.41-second 40-yard dash with an elite 1.57 ten-yard split. That is top-tier speed that forces safeties to respect the deep half—a vertical element the Commanders' offense lacked throughout the 2025 season.

Tabbed as a potential player to watch ahead of rookie minicamp, Hilton is a quintessential "traits" flyer as a UDFA. If he can stay healthy and rekindle that big-play chemistry with Jayden Daniels, he could provide depth and a deep threat component for the back end of the roster. In the modern NFL, you can’t have enough depth and speed, and  Washington is banking on the idea that Hilton’s best football is finally ahead of him.

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