Jalin Hyatt, WR Tennessee: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Hyatt was a four-star recruit from Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C. in the class of 2020

Junior Tennessee slot receiver Jalin Hyatt captivated the nation this year, winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award. He has the speed to take the top off of defenses and leave almost any corner eating dust. Find out if Hyatt’s speed will translate to the next level and where he projects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Visit my Twitter account @Sam_Teets33 for more updates and previews of the 2023 NFL Draft Guide.

Jalin Hyatt, WR Tennessee: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior slot receiver from Irmo, S.C.

Background: Hyatt was a four-star recruit from Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 197 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 194 for Rivals, and No. 174 for On3.com. Hyatt was an unranked four-star recruit for ESPN with an 80 grade out of 100. He originally committed to Virginia Tech before flipping to Tennessee. Hyatt committed to the Volunteers over offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Virginia, Wake Forest, West Virginia, and other Power 5 programs. He holds Dutch Fork’s career records in receiving yards (3,624) and receiving touchdowns (57). Hyatt spearheaded back-to-back undefeated seasons capped with South Carolina Class 5A state titles in 2018 and 2019. He was a finalist for South Carolina’s Mr. Football award in 2019 when he caught 66 passes for 1,361 yards and 26 touchdowns. Per MaxPreps, Hyatt produced 71 receptions for 1,316 yards and 21 touchdowns as a high school junior and 43 receptions for 947 yards and ten touchdowns as a sophomore. He won four consecutive 5A state championships in high school and earned offensive MVP honors in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. Hyatt reportedly ran a 4.31 laser-timed 40-yard dash at The Opening Regional. He’s also credited with running a 10.46 100-meter dash and 21.14 200-meter dash. Hyatt has been playing football since he was five years old. His younger brother (Devin) plays football at IMG Academy. His father played college basketball, and his mother was an All-State sprinter. Hyatt was born on Sept. 25, 2001.

2021 Production: 13 games, 21 receptions, 226 yards, 2 touchdowns

2020 Production: 10 games, 20 receptions, 276 yards, 2 touchdowns

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2022 Fred Biletnikoff Award, 2022 First-Team All-SEC, 2022 First-Team All-American (Football Writers Association of America)

Pros: Legitimate track speed to stack defensive backs, foot speed, quick and choppy feet to set up cuts, primarily wins against press coverage with footwork, instant burst off the line of scrimmage, lethal acceleration to separate downfield, explosive athlete, room to add mass to his frame, shows some effort blocking for wide receiver screens and run plays, quickly erases the defensive back’s cushion, appears to have sufficient arm length, long strider who covers ground quickly, primarily effective on post, curl, sluggo, and go routes, tracks the ball well, perfect for running clear out routes, scares defenses when put in motion, good snap at the top of curl routes

Cons: Drops remain a concern, not a player you want in many contested catch situations, limited to no special teams experience, limited experience playing outside, offensive scheme generates significant spacing and one-on-one opportunities, lean frame lets defenders jam his release and bump him off his route, struggles to combat the hands of defensive backs in press, lacks the play strength and contact balance to break tackles, appears a little high-hipped, hip sink is inconsistent at the top of routes, doesn’t always run routes full speed on plays not designed to his side of the field, routes are more rounded than sharp, poor feel for holes in zone, play strength throughout frame and grip strength are insufficient as a blocker, high and upright pre-snap stance provides target for defenders, not an elusive runner with the ball in his hands, needs to become a better hand combatant when facing press, release package is underdeveloped, limited route tree, several examples of body catches, doesn’t consistently generate separation coming out of his cuts, not twitchy

Overview: Hyatt is unofficially listed at 6'0", 185 lbs. He possesses legitimate track speed and should run a 40-time in the high 4.2s or low 4.3s. Hyatt plays with excellent foot speed, which helps him set up cuts in his routes and win against press coverage. The junior offers instant burst off the line of scrimmage with lethal acceleration to stack defensive backs. His long strides and explosiveness help him quickly eliminate the defensive back’s cushion when he faces off coverage. Hyatt puts in effort blocking for wide receiver screens and run plays, but his lack of play strength prevents him from excelling in this role. Fortunately, there’s room to add mass to Hyatt’s frame, assuming it doesn’t sap his explosiveness. He appears to have sufficient arm length to expand his catch radius and make receptions outside of his frame. Some of Hyatt’s best wins come on post, curl, sluggo, and go routes. He tracks the ball well and has examples of soft-hand catches. Hyatt scares college defenses when put in motion, and his speed makes him an excellent option for clear out routes. The South Carolina native displays good snap at the top of curl routes, but there are instances where he struggles to sink his hips. Hyatt is a lean receiver who appears high-hipped. His play strength and lack of contact balance prevent him from generating yards after contact, and many of his routes are more rounded than crisp. Hyatt’s play strength shows up against press coverage. He struggles to fight through jams and has trouble creating separation against aggressive corners, who can bump the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner off his route. Hyatt struggles to combat the hands of defensive backs in press coverage. He needs to fill out his underdeveloped release package and become more comfortable hand fighting with defenders. Hyatt lines up pre-snap with a high and upright stance, which provides a big target for defenders. The All-SEC receiver generates yards after the catch with speed, but he’s not elusive or twitchy in small spaces. He runs a limited route tree in Tennessee’s space-manufacturing offense and benefits from primarily playing in the slot. Hyatt has a poor feel for holes in zone and doesn’t always work back to his quarterback when the play breaks down. Drops remain a slight issue, and there are several examples of body catches on Hyatt’s tape. Despite his speed, the former four-star recruit doesn’t consistently generate separation coming out of his cuts. Hyatt doesn’t always run routes full speed on plays not designed to his side of the field, which frequently occurs in Tennessee’s offense. He has limited to no special teams experience with the Volunteers.

Overall, Hyatt is an elite vertical threat who offers some upside on schemed touches, but he’s a lean slot receiver who runs a limited route tree in an unconventional offense with an underdeveloped release package. It would be easier to buy Hyatt as a top-50 selection if he offered better YAC potential, but he lacks the play strength and twitch to generate yardage consistently when crowded by defenders.

Role & Scheme Fit: Slot receiver (Y) in a spread-heavy offense

Round Projection: Late Second to Mid Third

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 12-12-22