New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Nick looks at a potential first-round receiver prospect for a receiver-needy team like the Giants.

Jalin Hyatt, WR

Height: 6-foot
Weight: 185 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Tennessee
Age: 21 (9-25-2001)

A former four-star recruit from Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina, where he was the third-ranked recruit from South Carolina and the 33rd overall WR prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Fun fact: current Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass also attended Dutch Fork high school. He was initially committed to Virginia Tech before choosing Tennessee under previous head coach Jeremy Pruitt.

Notables

The 2022 Biletnikoff Award Winner and consensus, unanimous, First-Team All-American burst onto the scene as the most explosive playmaker in college football. Hyatt caught five touchdown passes against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tennessee’s upset victory over Nick Saban’s team.

Hyatt finished 2022 with 67 catches on 89 targets for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns; he averaged 18.9 yards per catch. Hyatt played 88.7% of his snaps in the slot. He finished his time in Tennessee with 151 targets, 108 catches, 1,769 yards, and 19 total touchdowns. Get your popcorn ready for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine because Hyatt is primed to shine.

Strengths

• Elite - difference-making - speed & explosiveness
• Elite acceleration - runs like a gazelle
• Hyatt is tailor-made for creating explosive plays
• Steps on CBs toes in the blink of an eye off vertical release
• Speed forced off-leverage - solid overall ability to stop to open up comeback/curl routes
• Did well to work into blind spot to sell vertical stem
• Has displayed some deceptiveness up his vertical stem
• Elite separation ability via athleticism in man coverage
• Very smooth on horizontal routes - acceleration is maintained
• Does have multiple gears
• Caused several DPI/Defensive Holding penalties - strikes fear into defensive backs
• Has good hands - plucks the ball out of the air effortlessly
• Displayed elusivness in space
• Excellent competitor - will block
• Josh Heupel was not afraid to use him condensed to block in short-yardage
• Defenses will have to play his offense differently with him on the field
• Rose to the occasion against top competition
• Scored five touchdowns against a Nick Saban coached defense in upset victory

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Weaknesses

• Lean player who is under 190-pounds
• Very limited route tree - somewhat of a one-trick pony
• For someone with his speed, I thought he’d be a bit more elusive
• Wasn’t the smoothest in transition in & out of breaks
• 88% of snaps were from the slot throughout his college career
• Didn’t make many contested catches
• Has good hands but didn’t have many adjustments or contested catch situations
• Physical corners who land press were able to alter release
• Rough drops against Mizzou and South Carolina
• Had a ton of schemed releases and designed touches
• Will need to expand release package
• One year wonder

Summary

Jalin Hyatt is an elite athlete who is an excellent vertical threat and an explosive play-making talent. The 2022 Biletnikoff Award Winner combines elite separation skills with excellent competitive toughness as a blocker. He’s not the most complete wide receiver - there are areas of improvement, and he’s not the biggest guy in the world; despite those facts, his elite speed is so difference-making that his draft slot will likely be in the first round.

The NFL is predicated on creating explosive plays, and Hyatt will be able to do that in the NFL. His field stretching ability will force defenses to play his team in a specific manner, which could open up several opportunities for his offense. I don’t think he’s a pure one-trick pony, but he’s not complete as a receiver. Still, the “one-trick” he possesses is so impactful that it can foundationally change the team that decides to select him.

GRADE: 6.5B (will be a first-round pick) 

Nick Falato

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