One big thing that draft insiders are missing about Vols WR Jalin Hyatt
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has dealt with quite a bit of criticism ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite setting records at Tennessee and winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2022 (given annually to the nation's top pass catcher), Hyatt has faced questions about whether or not he's fully prepared to play in an […]
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has dealt with quite a bit of criticism ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite setting records at Tennessee and winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2022 (given annually to the nation's top pass catcher), Hyatt has faced questions about whether or not he's fully prepared to play in an NFL offense.
Tennessee runs a unique up-tempo offense that utilizes wide splits. Hyatt has been dinged by draft insiders for the Vols' offensive style.
The steep learning curve in the NFL when it comes to terminology is one concern that analysts have with Hyatt.
Tennessee doesn't utilize traditional play calls (though that's true of many offenses in college football…perhaps even the majority) or a traditional playbook.
The idea is that Hyatt will struggle in the NFL when he's presented with an NFL playbook.
Not only is that idea insulting to Hyatt and his intelligence, but it also ignores the fact that Hyatt spent a year at Tennessee playing in a "traditional offense".
Hyatt played as a true freshman under former Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt and former UT offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
Chaney, who has spent time in the NFL, ran a fairly traditional offense at Tennessee. Hyatt only spent a year in that system (he caught 20 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman), but that experience shouldn't be overlooked by NFL draft insiders and evaluators.
It's unfair to suggest that Hyatt will struggle in a different offensive system when he has SEC experience in a Pro-Style offense (and while his numbers weren't gaudy in 2020, they were pretty decent for a true freshman).
Hyatt is a more well-rounded receiver than folks realize. And even if he wouldn't have spent a year in Chaney's system, he'd still be a first-round talent. But that time spent in a Pro-Style offense in 2020 should make Hyatt even more attractive to teams with a first-round selection.
