J.J. Watt will waltz into Canton soon as one of the greatest defensive forces to ever wear a helmet.
But before he ever strapped one on in the NFL, he was a young standout at Wisconsin, and college ties run deep.
Now comes word that the son of a league rival from his playing days, former Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, committed to playing for the Badgers on Friday.
Eugene Hilton will take his strong family legacy to the playing field at Wisconsin after rejecting offers from Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, and Miami.
Watt playfully expressed his satisfaction at seeing the next generation of Hiltons on the playing field.
The future Hall of Famer proclaimed he is “happy to be rooting FOR a Hilton now, instead of watching one run 50-yard post routes behind me.
The elder Hilton played all but one of his 11 NFL seasons at Indianapolis where he was a favorite target for Andrew Luck.
He enjoyed a career-defining run from 2014 to 2017 when he was selected to the Pro Bowl four consecutive seasons for outstanding play as a wideout.
This included 2016, a banner year during which Hilton hauled in 91 passes and led the NFL with 1,448 receiving yards.
Undoubtedly, Watt remembers seeing Hilton flying down the field when the Texans faced the Colts.
The receiver hung up his cleats having caught 53 touchdown passes.
The younger Hilton is a three-star prospect who ESPN listed as the 53rd-ranked high school receiver prospect and number six overall in Indiana.
He will be counted to anchor head coach Luke Fickell’s second recruiting class for the Badgers.
