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Will Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt be a first-round pick? Read the 2023 NFL Draft Outlook
University of Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has a chance to be selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at the end of April. The 175-pound speedster had a monster 2023 campaign, but his lack of early-career production and questions about the offense he played in at Tennessee could have him falling into the second round.
The 2023 wideout class is considered to be one of the weaker classes in recent memory, so the position is tough to predict as the draft nears.
How did Hyatt play during his three-year career and will he be a first-round pick on April 27th? Let's dive in.
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Jalin Hyatt Career Review
In Hyatt's freshman and sophomore seasons combined, he caught just 41 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Tennessee's offense was one of the worst units in the nation in 2020, so his lack of production is understandable. However, the offense took a huge step forward in 2021 under first-year head coach Josh Heupel, but Hyatt didn't produce much. Teammates Cedric Tillman and Velus Jones Jr. were Hendon Hooker's No. 1 and No. 2 options in the passing attack.
That all changed in 2022. As a true junior, Hyatt hauled in 67 passes for 1,267 yards, and 15 touchdowns. His nuclear game came against Alabama in Tennessee's first victory over the Crimson Tide since 2006. Hyatt caught six passes for 207 yards and five touchdowns against Nick Saban's defense.
Hyatt's draft stock skyrocketed after this game, but he posted 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns even if you take it out, so his production profile over the 2022 season is impressive overall.
Will Jalin Hyatt be a First-Round Pick?
According to MockDraftDataBase.com, which aggregates thousands of mock drafts to form a big board of prospects, Hyatt ranks 38th among all prospects. There are plenty of mock drafts where he's projected to go in the first round, but the general consensus at the moment is he'll be an early-round-two guy.
Jalin Hyatt Mock Draft Data
There are plenty of WR-needy teams in the middle and late part of the first round including the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and Kansas City Chiefs. Many of those teams have already hosted Hyatt on a top 30 visit, so it'll be interesting to see if any of them pull the trigger on day one.
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