 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Akazopedza kudzidza paChicagos Phillips High School, Hinton akatanga kupinda Northwestern University muna 1980 uye pakutanga akanga ari mugumo wakasimba. Somunhu mutsva wechokwadi akatamba mumitambo 11 uye akabata mapasi manomwe nokuda kwamayadhi 43. Mumwaka wake wokupedzisira semugumo wakasimba muna 1980 akabata 19 akapfuura nokuda kwe265 kugamuchira mamita mumitambo gumi. Somunhu muduku muna 1982, Hinton akachinjwa kuti kurwisa tackle kubudikidza wechipiri gore mukuru Coach Dennis Green. Mwaka wake wakanakisa wekoreji wakauya mugore rake rekupedzisira muna 1983, sezvo akavhoterwa co-kaputeni kuti atange mwaka uye akavhoterwa timu yekutanga All-America uye yekutanga-timu All Big 10. Akapedza gore achitamba muEastWest Shrine Game uye Blue-Gray Classic. 