Jalin Hyatt already proves doubters wrong on first NFL touchdown
Jalin Hyatt was a player who came out of Tennessee with a lot of accomplishments – and some questions. He won the Biletnikoff Award last fall with a stat line of 67 catches for 1267 yards and 15 touchdowns. He helped spearhead a dramatic turnaround for the Vols in an 11-2 season that saw the […]
Jalin Hyatt was a player who came out of Tennessee with a lot of accomplishments – and some questions. He won the Biletnikoff Award last fall with a stat line of 67 catches for 1267 yards and 15 touchdowns. He helped spearhead a dramatic turnaround for the Vols in an 11-2 season that saw the Vols come up just short of reaching the College Football Playoff.
However, some at the pro level questioned his route running ability and maintained a concern that he ran a limited route tree in Josh Heupel's system. He did not hear his name called in the first round of the draft, ultimately being selected by the New York Giants in the third round.
It hasn't taken long for Hyatt to begin to show those beliefs were misplaced in the offseason and training camp. And if there was any doubt left, Hyatt just stomped that with a boot on Friday night against the Carolina Panthers.
Hyatt got behind the defense for an easy 32-yard touchdown. Hyatt ran a deep corner route, where he cut away from the safety towards the corner of the end zone for a very easy score.
Hyatt showed off his extreme speed on the play, which Tennessee fans have seen time and again, finishing his route right in the path of the ball. He actually had to slow down and wait for the ball to come to him. That's not a surprise, given that the Giants have allegedly timed him at over 24 miles per hour in football gear this year.
This was just further evidence of his overall talent and skillset. It could also be the first step in reminding NFL GMs of a few very simple things: don't overthink it. Perceptions don't always translate to reality.
And speed kills.
Featured image via @Giants Twitter(X) account
