As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Jalin Hyatt.
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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jalin Hyatt (WR – Tennessee)
Jalin Hyatt (WR – Tennessee)
6’0″ – 180 lbs.
Background:
South Carolina native who started one game as a true freshman, putting together a line of 20-276-2 (13.8); followed that up with a very similar sophomore campaign of 21-226-2 (10.8). Broke out this past season with a massive line of 67-1,267-15 (18.9), establishing himself as one of college football’s premier deep threats.
Positives:
Has produced at an incredible level in college football’s most challenging conference this year. Very wiry receiver who takes snaps both inside and outside. Has all the speed needed to take the top off of defenses and create opportunities underneath; impossible to catch once he’s got a step on his opponent and almost requires safety help over the top. Shows attention to detail as a route-runner in terms of his hip sink and footwork, even when he’s working against a generous cushion. Works back to the ball instead of letting it come to him. Tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Hands-catcher who has no problem plucking away from his frame and offers a reasonably large target for his quarterback. Overall concentration to make catches through contact is impressive. Shows impressive elusiveness after the catch and was often targeted on short hitches and given a chance to create. Can turn on the burners when he finds a lane across the middle of the field.
Negatives:
Very thin, which may create durability concerns. Hasn’t been a major producer until this past season, and some of his production came on wide-open catches against blown coverages or confused defenses (such as the first two touchdowns against Alabama, both touchdowns against Kentucky, and long touchdown against Tennessee-Martin.) Overall route tree is relatively limited to deep routes (often off of an outside release as part of a route combination) and curls from the slot. Doesn’t always plant his foot outside before working back toward the middle on his post patterns. How well will he be able to deal with the physicality of the pro game?
Summary:
Sometimes, it can be difficult to disentangle Tennessee receivers’ success from Josh Heupel’s playcalling, which often uses creative route combinations to generate confusion in opposing secondaries and create easy, open throws for his quarterback. Nonetheless, Hyatt is an explosive athlete who can run by defenders on deep routes and who shows attention to detail on the limited number of underneath throws he was targeted on. At the least, looks like a potential deep threat who can add another dimension to an offense and create opportunities underneath by virtue of his speed.
Projection: Round 1-2
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