Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Confidence, Consistency Power Hayden Eligon II’s Breakout Season
12/22/2025 9:45:00 AM | Football
Hayden Eligon II attacked his offseason preparation with the sting of the 2024 campaign fresh in his memory.
He'd watched as his position group mentors, Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning, departed the collegiate stage on a bittersweet note in November 2024. One of two true sophomores in a once-unproven wide receiver room, Eligon knew elevated snaps were well within reach this season.
"I told my coaches, and I told my teammates, 'I'm gonna do what I can as a teammate to prepare and do my part to make sure we get the team into a bowl,'" Eligon said. "Being able to get the seniors that last little goal of victory before they finish off the rest of their careers was very important."
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound wide receiver turned his offseason promise into a prophecy, hitting his stride in the regular season's latter half. Eligon caught seven passes for a career-high 127 yards in a bowl-eligibility-clinching victory over Minnesota on Nov. 22.
"He's always been a really gifted athlete and player," junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde said. "He's been a guy that Preston [Stone] can just throw the ball up to, and you know that Hayden's coming down with the ball. To have someone that big and physical who cares that much about going up and making the play is really good for the 'Cats when the ball is going his way."
The Lakewood, Calif., native added 15 pounds to his frame during the offseason as he sought an every-down offensive role. In 11 regular season games, Eligon recorded 34 receptions for 476 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
His yardage marks the most prolific pass-catching season by a Wildcat underclassman since Ben Skowronek tallied 644 yards in 2017.
"I'm always going to have confidence in myself, and I'm always going to bet on myself," Eligon said. "I know what I'm capable of. If a play is needed, I'm going to go make it. That's the mindset I have before every game."
Last season, Eligon was thrown into the fire as a first-year in Big Ten competition. He played in nine games and found a niche as a downfield blocker.
Wide receivers coach Armon Binns said Eligon's confident demeanor quickly captured his attention.
"Confidence comes from reps, comes from being out there," Binns said. "Hayden's a kid that has a really unique confidence about himself. Even as a freshman last year, he always felt like he could make a play. He always was able to go out there, throw his body around and be physical."
Binns credited Eligon's late season surge to the sophomore's standout offseason. The third-year wide receivers coach said Eligon built on the lessons he learned from veteran leaders in his position and has forged his own routine.
"There's always that, 'Welcome to college football' moment when you realize, 'Man, I got to work harder than I've ever worked, I got to study more than I've ever studied,'" Binns said.
"You're watching guys like Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning who are All-Big Ten receivers, and these dudes are in here early — hours before we got to be in here, taking care of their bodies. They have a routine. A lot of it with Hayden was understanding, 'If I really want to do this at a high level, what adjustments do I have to make?'"
Eligon struck a quick connection on the recruiting trail with Binns, a fellow California native. Binns promised Eligon that if he put in the requisite work, he and the coaching staff would help guide the wideout to actualize his lofty potential.
In electing to take his talents from the West Coast to the Big Ten, Eligon knew he signed up for weather conditions he hadn't played through in his formative football years. During Northwestern's regular season finale at Illinois, the Californian encountered an obstacle he'd never before experienced: a snow game.
"Pregame, I didn't know what to expect," Eligon said. "I didn't know if we were going to throw the ball a lot. I didn't even know if I was going to catch the ball. But it's always just being ready. It was one of the most fun games I've been in, just being able to play in the elements with the team."
When he hauled in a second-quarter touchdown reception, Eligon leaned back into a snow angel celebration. Eligon said he promised the wide receiver room in the game's buildup that he'd break out the maneuver if the moment called for it.
As he prepares for his first-career bowl game, Eligon said he's looking to approach the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Central Michigan as he would any other game. On Friday, Dec. 26, Eligon won't carry the same jitters on Ford Field he felt during his 2024 debut.
But Eligon wants nothing more than to maximize his first glimpse of postseason play.
"It's just truly a blessing being able to get one more game in with the guys," Eligon said. "It's important to the seniors, just trying to finish off strong for them. For practice, we're treating it like a regular game, going in every day, working and giving it 100 percent."
He'd watched as his position group mentors, Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning, departed the collegiate stage on a bittersweet note in November 2024. One of two true sophomores in a once-unproven wide receiver room, Eligon knew elevated snaps were well within reach this season.
"I told my coaches, and I told my teammates, 'I'm gonna do what I can as a teammate to prepare and do my part to make sure we get the team into a bowl,'" Eligon said. "Being able to get the seniors that last little goal of victory before they finish off the rest of their careers was very important."
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound wide receiver turned his offseason promise into a prophecy, hitting his stride in the regular season's latter half. Eligon caught seven passes for a career-high 127 yards in a bowl-eligibility-clinching victory over Minnesota on Nov. 22.
"He's always been a really gifted athlete and player," junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde said. "He's been a guy that Preston [Stone] can just throw the ball up to, and you know that Hayden's coming down with the ball. To have someone that big and physical who cares that much about going up and making the play is really good for the 'Cats when the ball is going his way."
The Lakewood, Calif., native added 15 pounds to his frame during the offseason as he sought an every-down offensive role. In 11 regular season games, Eligon recorded 34 receptions for 476 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
His yardage marks the most prolific pass-catching season by a Wildcat underclassman since Ben Skowronek tallied 644 yards in 2017.
"I'm always going to have confidence in myself, and I'm always going to bet on myself," Eligon said. "I know what I'm capable of. If a play is needed, I'm going to go make it. That's the mindset I have before every game."
Northwestern sophomore wide receiver Hayden Eligon II hauled in seven of nine targets for a career-high 127 yards against Minnesota.
— Jake Epstein (@Jakeepste1n) November 23, 2025
Eligon is the first Wildcat underclassman to post multiple 80+ yard receiving games in a single season since Ben Skowronek in 2017. pic.twitter.com/jJjrVMZIow
Last season, Eligon was thrown into the fire as a first-year in Big Ten competition. He played in nine games and found a niche as a downfield blocker.
Wide receivers coach Armon Binns said Eligon's confident demeanor quickly captured his attention.
"Confidence comes from reps, comes from being out there," Binns said. "Hayden's a kid that has a really unique confidence about himself. Even as a freshman last year, he always felt like he could make a play. He always was able to go out there, throw his body around and be physical."
.@EligonII ?? END ZONE ??
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) October 4, 2025
??: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/zsgPqwrDd8
Binns credited Eligon's late season surge to the sophomore's standout offseason. The third-year wide receivers coach said Eligon built on the lessons he learned from veteran leaders in his position and has forged his own routine.
"There's always that, 'Welcome to college football' moment when you realize, 'Man, I got to work harder than I've ever worked, I got to study more than I've ever studied,'" Binns said.
"You're watching guys like Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning who are All-Big Ten receivers, and these dudes are in here early — hours before we got to be in here, taking care of their bodies. They have a routine. A lot of it with Hayden was understanding, 'If I really want to do this at a high level, what adjustments do I have to make?'"
Eligon struck a quick connection on the recruiting trail with Binns, a fellow California native. Binns promised Eligon that if he put in the requisite work, he and the coaching staff would help guide the wideout to actualize his lofty potential.
In electing to take his talents from the West Coast to the Big Ten, Eligon knew he signed up for weather conditions he hadn't played through in his formative football years. During Northwestern's regular season finale at Illinois, the Californian encountered an obstacle he'd never before experienced: a snow game.
"Pregame, I didn't know what to expect," Eligon said. "I didn't know if we were going to throw the ball a lot. I didn't even know if I was going to catch the ball. But it's always just being ready. It was one of the most fun games I've been in, just being able to play in the elements with the team."
Snow Angels in the End Zone ??
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) November 30, 2025
?? @EligonII pic.twitter.com/5fuKUSvNDx
When he hauled in a second-quarter touchdown reception, Eligon leaned back into a snow angel celebration. Eligon said he promised the wide receiver room in the game's buildup that he'd break out the maneuver if the moment called for it.
As he prepares for his first-career bowl game, Eligon said he's looking to approach the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Central Michigan as he would any other game. On Friday, Dec. 26, Eligon won't carry the same jitters on Ford Field he felt during his 2024 debut.
But Eligon wants nothing more than to maximize his first glimpse of postseason play.
"It's just truly a blessing being able to get one more game in with the guys," Eligon said. "It's important to the seniors, just trying to finish off strong for them. For practice, we're treating it like a regular game, going in every day, working and giving it 100 percent."
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