Getty A potential draft steal for the New York Giants has been branded "squirrelly" and "naive."
At least one coach and executive from around the NFL share concerns about Jalin Hyatt’s attitude. The wide receiver is a potential draft steal for the New York Giants, having been taken in the third round, despite boasting some first-round talent, but the former Tennessee star has been branded “squirrelly” and “naive,” amid concerns “he’s got some arrogance to him.”
That’s the view of an unnamed executive and an anonymous coach interviewed by Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Both drew attention to the personality traits of a player Duggan described as “the Giants’ most polarizing pick.”
The executive’s take cautioned Hyatt is “just young, little squirrelly, maybe a little naïve. I don’t know if he totally gets it as far as being a pro.”
While that’s a mild note of concern, the coach raised alarm bells with his assessment Hyatt’s “got some arrogance to him, like ‘I’ve got all the answers.'”
Each of Duggan’s interviewees also had some reservations about Hyatt’s physical attributes, along with his level of production. That’s quite a long list of potential negatives for the Giants to consider regarding a prospect being counted on to expand a pedestrian passing game for quarterback Daniel Jones.
Fortunately, not every concern raised here has to be a negative for the first-year wide receiver.
A Bit of an Attitude Is a Good Thing for a Wide Receiver
The Giants know all about dealing with a so-called “diva” wide receiver. A bit of an attitude is often a good thing at the position, something Odell Beckham Jr. proved after being drafted 12th overall by Big Blue back in 2014.
Beckham had his issues in New York, but he also delivered on the field, to the tune of three Pro Bowl seasons and winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. OBJ also set a historic pace to 5,000 receiving yards.
While Beckham’s time with the Giants too often became defined by drama away from the field, a healthy ego is usually a must for any dynamic wideout. It’s what drives a receiver to demand his place as the focal point of a passing game.
Beckham had that confidence in himself, and so does Hyatt. The latter demonstrated as much during an awkward exchange with an assistant for the Dallas Cowboys, referenced by Duggan, ahead of the draft.
Hyatt’s willingness to defend the range of his game, in this case the ability to run routes beyond just being a speed threat, is good news for the Giants. It’s the kind of confidence they need to elevate a passive group of receivers.
There’s nothing passive about Hyatt promising “any team I go against is going to spark me,” per Giants Videos.
Playing with a chip on his shoulder is inevitable for Hyatt after he slipped into the third round. It’s the best way for him to set about proving there’s more to his talent and numbers than meets the eye.
Giants Don’t Need to Worry About College Numbers
Dallas wide receivers coach Robert Prince isn’t the only one to question Hyatt’s savvy and nuance running routes. The coach Duggan spoke with revealed “there’s a lot of people who don’t think the guy is a great route runner.”
Even Duggan noted how the Volunteers’ offense “called for a limited route tree with free releases.” Perhaps that’s why the executive interviewed felt comfortable labelling Hyatt “a one-year producer for a reason.”
These arguments needn’t be a concern for Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, despite the disparity in Hyatt’s numbers. His stats jumped from 21 catches and 226 yards as a sophomore to 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns during his senior year, per Sports Reference.
The sharp increase can be attributed to the Volunteers finally realizing what they had, and what they had was a dynamic speedster who’s more than a straight-line, go-route runner.
Instead, Hyatt’s field-stretching speed can be unleashed in a variety of ways. Tennessee proved as much by regularly putting him into stack alignments, like for this touchdown against Alabama, highlighted by Tyler Browning of AtoZ Sports Nashville.
Hiding Hyatt behind another receiver to prevent defensive backs from jamming to slow his release is just good coaching. It’s a practical way to maximize the acceleration of a true burner.
Daboll and Kafka are creative enough to do the same and give Jones the big-play specialist he needs. Jones was awarded a four-year contract worth $160 million, despite leading a passing attack that produced an NFL-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards.
The Giants need Jones to take advantage of Hyatt as a deep threat, but they should also move him around to let his speed to torch defenses at every level. That’s how the Kansas City Chiefs expanded the route tree for 5-foot-10, 185-pound Tyreek Hill.
Hyatt, at 6-foot and 175 pounds, has a similar physical profile and playing style to Hill. The rookie can be for the Giants what Hill has been for the Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.
Giving Hyatt a chance to prove his doubters wrong early and often is the best way for the Giants to help Jones improve his own game and expand the possibilities for a new-look pass offense.
