Former Vols WR Jalin Hyatt lands in less-than-ideal situation in latest mock draft
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is expected to be a first-round or second-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Hyatt's elite speed and high level of production in the SEC this past season make him an attractive option for wide receiver needy teams in the NFL. The only problem for Hyatt is that his […]
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is expected to be a first-round or second-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Hyatt's elite speed and high level of production in the SEC this past season make him an attractive option for wide receiver needy teams in the NFL.
The only problem for Hyatt is that his limited route tree at Tennessee has caused some concern about whether or not his abilities will translate to the next level.
Despite those concerns, Hyatt almost certainly won't fall past the first couple of selections in the second round.
ESPN's Todd McShay revealed his latest mock draft on Tuesday and he has Hyatt going No. 33 overall (the second pick in the second round) to the Houston Texans.
From ESPN: I hinted that Houston needs more pass-catchers earlier, and it gets lucky that the speedy Hyatt is still on the board at No. 33. He tracks the deep ball extremely well, and he has the explosion to eat up cushion in coverage and fly by defenders. Hyatt averaged 18.9 yards per catch last season en route to 1,267 total receiving yards (fifth in the FBS).
This wouldn't be an ideal situation for Hyatt or any wide receiver.
The Texans are one of the worst teams in the NFL and they don't have a franchise quarterback. That could change, of course, depending on who they pick with the No. 2 overall selection. But for now, this is a landing spot that wouldn't exactly be paradise for Hyatt.
A much better situation for Hyatt would be to go a few picks earlier to the Kansas City Chiefs, a franchise that's innovative offensively and happens to have the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes.
If Hyatt lands in Houston, there's a good chance his production will be limited due to the state of the Texans' roster. Hyatt's an incredibly hard worker — he famously put in long hours at Tennessee's facility the week after scoring five touchdowns against Alabama — but it's hard to outwork a bad situation. Getting drafted by Houston might reinforce the false narratives about Hyatt and the Vols' offense.
It's impossible to know how the draft will play out, but Hyatt should hope he finds himself in a better situation than landing with the Texans.
