LSU WR Chris Hilton Jr. misses third game in a row

LSU junior wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. will not play Saturday against South Carolina, the third consecutive game he has missed due to an ankle injury.

Hilton should play a major role on LSU's receiver team and sources believe he will return soon. LSU plays UCLA next week in Baton Rouge, which is a possible time for a return.

Hilton is a wide receiver who can stretch the field and has tremendous speed that LSU's offense has lacked in the first two games.

The Tigers lost two wide receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., in the first round of the NFL Draft in April. Hilton was an important part of the plan to replace their performance, as he was considered one of the top targets of new starter Garrett Nussmeier.

Hilton caught 13 passes for 225 yards last season. He showed his potential in LSU's ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin, when he caught three passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

LSU heads to Columbia with a 1-1 record after a narrow loss to USC in its opener in Las Vegas and a win over Nicholls last week.