Following a day in which the Tennessee Titans made several moves to get back in good standing with the salary cap, everyone is starting to shift their focus to the start of the new league year.
Now that Tennessee is $13 million under the cap, with more cuts likely still to come, many expect the team to place an emphasis on improving their overall talent at wide receiver and along the offensive line.
After free agency, the NFL Draft is the other avenue that will surely be used to add some much-needed talent and depth to the offense.
Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network recently released his latest mock draft and he decided to address the receiver position first by selecting Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt at No. 11 overall.
Here’s what Pauline had to say about keeping the Tennessee legend in-state.
A top offensive lineman would be the pick if one is available, but there’s not a great candidate on the board. Instead, Jalin Hyatt fills the Titans’ need for speed at receiver. The local product has to be part of a revamped offense that features more playmaking and explosive plays.
Hyatt is coming off a fantastic campaign that culminated in becoming the 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner after finishing his final season with 67 catches, 1,267 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
The former Vols star possesses the type of game-breaking speed the Titans’ offense has desperately been yearning for.
However, this may be a little rich at No. 11. Hyatt’s talent is undeniable, but how much of his success will translate to the pros is a massive and valid question.
Tennessee used a vertical-based scheme that manufactured space for its entire offense.
There were several times that Hyatt would be stacked directly behind another receiver simply so he couldn’t get touched and would have free releases to attack vertically.
In order to get himself drafted this high, he will likely have to dominate the NFL Combine by putting up ridiculous testing numbers, while also looking fluid in all of the on-field drills.
If the Biletnikoff Award winner shows that he can smoothly run the NFL route tree, and combines that with legitimate 4.2-4.3 speed, then there’s a good chance that the Volunteer legend could hear his name in Round 1.
Only time will tell how all this plays out, but Hyatt is easily one of the most intriguing prospects to keep an eye on over the coming months.
