Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-0vs Charleston Southern | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | Season-high 5 yds |
| Total | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
#21
Zay Hilliard
Freshman wide receiver for Georgia Southern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 210 lb · Jacksonville, FL · University Christian School
Returning to Georgia Southern for 2026
The numbers
5
receiving yards · 2026
1 catches · 5 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 5 yds, vs Charleston Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 wide receiver for Georgia Southern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Georgia Southern in 2026.
Zay Hilliard
The receipt: 5 rec yds, 1 receptions against Charleston Southern — Week 1, 2026.
5 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Georgia Southern3-star out of University Christian
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Georgia Southern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Georgia Southern1-1HC: Clay Helton · Pass-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 REC/g, 5.0 YDS/g, 5.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clay Helton
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–0
1 rec · 5 yds
Dominant 31-point win at home against Charleston Southern.
With M. Johnson — 281 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 66.4 · A. Smith — 40 AVG · 42 LONG · 4 NO
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Georgia Southern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Georgia Southern
Returning around him
- 6% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -1 net (17 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia Southern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #78 · 2026 recruiting class #89
Background
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Coach Matthew Hammet at University Christian School … Ranked the No. 370 wide receiver in the country by 247Sports … Had 24 catches for 353 yards and two scores as a senior. … Played baseball his first two years of high school and ran track his senior year. PERSONAL: Born...
The receiver room · Georgia Southern
- #15Taylor Bradshaw131 receiving yards · 2025
- #2Ashton Hollins108 receiving yards · 2025
- #19Josh Dallas68 receiving yards · 2025
- #88Alex Taylor27 receiving yards · 2025
- #21Zay Hilliard1 game · 2026
12 more on the roster · Georgia Southern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology