Former Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has officially been presented with his 2022 Biletnikoff Award.
The Irmo, South Carolina native was announced as the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner on Dec. 8, 2022, given to college football’s most outstanding receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. Hyatt is the first wide receiver in Tennessee program history to win the award since its inception in 1994.
Hyatt finished the 2022 season with jaw-dropping numbers, catching 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns in 12 games.
The three-year Tennessee receiver was given his award at the 29th annual Biletnikoff Award black-tie Banquet & Celebration on Mar. 11, 2023.
“Jalin Hyatt will be introduced by Tennessee’s head coach Josh Heupel and presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman Mark Ryan, with banquet keynote speaker Drew Pearson, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at the sold-out black-tie Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration attended by 550 patrons at the Dunlap Champions Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, March 11, 2023,” the Biletnikoff Award’s press release stated last week.
Tennessee wide receiver coach Kelsey Pope was also in attendance for the event.
Officially official 🏆@jalinhyatt @biletnikoffawrd pic.twitter.com/cAXURnIVwA
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 12, 2023
🏆🏆🏆@biletnikoffawrd #GNO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/qrcOkIVzG6
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 11, 2023
All smiles in Tallahassee 😁@jalinhyatt @biletnikoffawrd pic.twitter.com/wzTGPQD6sT
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 11, 2023
On the day that Hyatt accepted his award, Tennessee posted a new hype video dedicated to his time on Rocky Top. The video goes through his commitment and early breakdown to the biggest moments of the 2022 season – including his unforgettable five-touchdown game against Alabama in October.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡@jalinhyatt#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/YfQFXZT04Z
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 11, 2023
More from RTI: Jalin Hyatt Sells Himself as the Best Receiver in the NFL Draft Class
Jalin Hyatt now has his eyes fully set on the 2023 NFL Draft.
The former Tennessee receiver dazzled in front of scouts, coaches, and the media during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March. While running the 40-yard dash, though, Hyatt reportedly aggravated his hamstring, which caused him to shut it down a little bit. The injury is not expected to be severe as Hyatt just wanted to be cautious moving forward.
Speed is not a question regarding Hyatt’s game, as evidenced in all 12 games he played last year.
#Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt, who ran a 4.40 40, felt tightness in hamstring doing position work, I'm told. He shut it down today out of caution and will be ready for his Pro Day on March 30th.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2023
Hyatt has been projected as both a first-round and second-round draft pick in the NFL Draft. While it’s late into the first round, the New York Giants seem like a likely landing spot at No. 25 overall for Hyatt if he were to end up as a first-round selection. If the Giants don’t take him, it’s fairly likely that Hyatt will be one of the first names taken off the board in the second round of the draft.
The NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 27, 2023.
