NFL WRs coach has concerning take on Vols WR Jalin Hyatt
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is hoping to hear his name called on Thursday night during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Hyatt, a former four-star recruit, wasn't on the draft radar ahead of the 2022 college football season. But the South Carolina native put in extra work ahead of the 2022 […]
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is hoping to hear his name called on Thursday night during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Hyatt, a former four-star recruit, wasn't on the draft radar ahead of the 2022 college football season.
But the South Carolina native put in extra work ahead of the 2022 season with the hopes of having a breakout season. The hard work paid off as Hyatt finished his junior season with 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and a school record 15 receiving touchdowns.
As a result of his impressive season, Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award (given annually to the nation's top pass catcher). But despite the accolades and impressive production, Hyatt isn't expected to be the first wide receiver selected in this year's draft.
Part of the reason is because of Hyatt's size. The 6-foot wide receiver weighed in at 176 lbs at the combine last month. He weighed 184 lbs at Tennessee's Pro Day a few weeks later, though it's unclear if he plans to play at that weight in the future.
Another reason that Hyatt isn't being projected as the first wide receiver off the board is because of the offense he played in at Tennessee. There are questions about whether or not Hyatt will be prepared to play at the next level. Not everyone shares that concern, but there are certainly some folks in the NFL who feel that way.
One anonymous NFL wide receivers coach recently told The Athletic's Bruce Feldman that he's "wary" of Tennessee's offensive system.
“I’m very wary of that system," said the anonymous coach to Feldman. "There’s not a lot of stuff that translates in the NFL. It’s tough tape to translate. You don’t see him transition in and out of his cuts. There’s a lot of option routes, so you don’t see the route set-up, but he’s got so much speed.”
This is just something that Tennessee players under Josh Heupel are going to have to deal with until a player like Hyatt or Cedric Tillman makes it to the NFL and thrives. Until that happens, the questions about Tennessee's offense, which are only popping up because it's something different than the norm, will continue.
It's unfortunate for Hyatt, who did everything right at Tennessee. But he's far from the first player to face these types of questions. Remember, it wasn't that long ago that Patrick Mahomes was being discounted because he played in an Air Raid system at Texas Tech. I'd say he adjusted to life in the NFL just fine despite playing in a non-traditional offense in college.
