This offseason, former Tennessee football wide receiver Jalin Hyatt garnered praise from his coaches and teammates as someone who could find his footing in the NFL.
However, Hyatt didn’t appear in the New York Giants’ opening preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. Instead, NFL.com noted that he did not make the trip to play in the game due to an undisclosed injury.
The Giants won the preseason bout 34-25 in Buffalo. New York will play the Jets and Patriots at home for its final two exhibitions before the regular season begins.
This all comes after new Giants quarterback Russell Wilson sang the praises of Hyatt during fall camp.
“I saw him do it in college not too long ago,” Wilson said. “I also saw him make some big-time plays. And then at the National Football League, I remember he had this sweet catch against Arizona that he went up and snagged it over somebody’s head. He did it at home (in New York) once. Just multiple times he’s made some great plays.”
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Hyatt enters his third season in the NFL, all with the Giants. He was selected by New York in the third round of the 2023 draft, but has struggled to see consistent playtime.
So far, he has totaled 31 receptions for 435 yards in his pro career. He is yet to score a touchdown.
Wilson went on to discuss what it will take for him and Hyatt to build a connection that will boost these numbers and help him earn a consistent role.
“The biggest thing is just that consistency that I can bring to him every day, too,” Wilson said. “Just making sure that I’m always giving him extra opportunities down the field. Also, not just down the field, in any play we got. Spending extra time on the field. He’s got a great work ethic, Jalin does. I think he’s got great grit to him. I think that he wants to be great every day. He’s got all the special pieces to it all. What makes a great receiver is his ability to catch the ball. In contested situations, he does a great job of that.”
In college, Hyatt put together one of the best seasons in program history in 2022. Including his five-touchdown game against Alabama to help seal the historic win, he produced 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns on 67 receptions.
He was named the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner (the first in program history), an unanimous All-American and First-Team All-SEC member.
