Post-combine mock draft has Vols WR Jalin Hyatt landing in NFC
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt lands with an NFC East team in the latest post-combine mock draft
Now that the 2023 NFL Draft combine is behind us, the mock draft picture for most teams will become a little more clear.
While plenty of folks aren't fans of the combine — or at least they don't value the information it provides — it can still have a big impact on draft boards.
LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, for example, will likely fall down draft boards thanks to his poor combine performance.
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt likely didn't improve his draft stock at the combine, but he didn't hurt it, either. Hyatt showed that he's what everyone already knew he was — explosive and fast.
Hyatt ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds. He experienced some hamstring tightness after his attempt, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the 4.3 range at his Pro Day later this month.
The South Carolina native is viewed by most draft analysts as a late first-round pick.
And that's exactly where CBS Sports has him going in their post-combine mock draft.
Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports has the New York Giants selecting Hyatt with the No. 25 overall selection.
Jalin Hyatt wasn't in the first-round conversation heading into the 2022 season, but he's a great example of a player taking advantage of his opportunities, thanks in large part to Hendon Hooker's Heisman Trophy campaign. Hyatt is a bona-fide deep threat who consistently beat defensive backs who were helpless to do much about it all season.
I don't love this fit for Hyatt. Landing with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, or Buffalo Bills (all teams with picks in the latter half of the first round) would be a much better situation for the former Vol.
But Hyatt, of course, won't complain too much. He likely just wants to go in the first round (though he admitted this week that he wouldn't mind playing with Patrick Mahomes).
Hyatt is a determined player. After scoring five touchdowns against Alabama last season, he made it clear that he didn't want to "live off that game". So he kept working hard and improving. By the end of the season, he had set a Tennessee record for most receiving touchdowns in a season.
Whoever drafts Hyatt will be getting a great team leader who is eager to work hard and excel at the next level.
