Leading up to the 2023 NFL draft, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was the subject of uncertainty. Some viewed him as a first-round talent while others believed he was a product of Tennessee’s offensive system.
The argument was that Hyatt was a speed-only guy incapable of running a full route tree or being impactful within the confines of a more conservative offense.
Buy Giants TicketsDuring his pro day, an exchange between Hyatt and Dallas Cowboys wide receivers coach Robert Prince went viral. It featured that same skepticism.
During the pre-Draft process, #Cowboys WRs coach doubted Jalin Hyatt's ability to run routes, Hyatt called him out on it right away.
Fast forward to today, Hyatt was drafted by the #Giants and gets to beat the Dallas coaches who doubted him twice a yearpic.twitter.com/grRK00HgNf
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 1, 2023
Coach: You know what you are.
Hyatt: What am I, coach?
Coach: You know what you are.
Hyatt: What’s that?
Coach: I’m sayin’ like you have a skill set, right?
Hyatt: What’s that skill set?
Coach: It’s your speed.
Hyatt: But can run routes, though.
Coach: We’re about to see.
Hyatt: We will see.
The Cowboys ultimately passed on Hyatt in the draft, leaving the Giants to scoop him up in the third round.
Thus far, there have been no issues with Hyatt, his maturity or his route running. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite.
As for Hyatt and that viral exchange with Prince, he says there are “no hard feelings.”
“It did become a big deal. I remember looking at my phone and seeing it and I was like, ‘Man!’ I have a lot of respect for the Cowboys receivers coach. He was one of my 30 visits that I had to go meet — good dude, great coach,” Hyatt told Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
“It was a competitive pro day. We were both talking back-and-forth. That’s just how it is sometimes with football. He wanted me to do the best and I respect him for that. There was obviously some stuff that we didn’t see eye-to-eye on, but it is what it is. He has his opinions, I have my opinions and at the same time, I’m trying to work to be the best player I can be. Whatever tips and things he had for me, I’m going to make sure I observe them. There’s no hard feelings. He’s obviously been in the league for a while, so I have a lot of respect for him.”
Hyatt will make his NFL debut on Sunday night against Prince and the Cowboys, who believe the rookie is nothing more than a one-trick pony.
