Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling released his latest two-round projections for Senior Bowl week, and he sees the Chargers going wide receiver and offensive tackle with their first two selections in the 2023 NFL draft.
Easterling pegged Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt to Los Angeles with the No. 21 overall selection.
Here is what Easterling had to say about the pairing:
Justin Herbert already has a pair of big, physical receivers who can win in contested-catch situations all day long (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams), but he could use one who can separate consistently. Hyatt’s breakout season was fueled by his explosive, big-play ability, which is exactly what this offense needs.
Hyatt, the reigning Biletnikoff Award recipient, has an electric 4.2 speed, which he used to outrun SEC defenders routinely. Additionally, he has elite ball-tracking skills and is excellent at the catch point.
Hyatt caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch, ranked 13th in the nation, and had 14 catches on balls thrown at least 20 yards downfield, tied for fourth.
Herbert’s 6.8 yards per attempt ranked 26th in the NFL in 2022, and Hyatt’s downfield ability would help turn that around toward the top of the league.
With their second-round pick, Easterling has the Bolts selecting another Volunteer, offensive tackle Darnell Wright.
With Trey Pipkins set to be a free agent, there is no guarantee that he will be brought back despite his play from this past season suggesting he’s worthy of a contract extension.
If they don’t re-sign Pipkins, the Chargers could find his replacement early in the draft. In this case, Wright would be a solid selection.
Wright, the first-team All-SEC selection in 2022, finished his collegiate career without allowing a sack in 19 straight games dating back to the 2021 season.
Wright has the makeup of an NFL starting tackle, with the size, length, play strength, power and balance and experience against top-tier competition.
