The 2023 73rd overall pick, Jalin Hyatt, has been nothing short of a disappointment for the New York Giants.
Due to his underwhelming play, he has fallen to the bottom of the depth chart, and his future looks bleak. But, after recent offseason reports, his career may be taking a much-needed positive turn.
What’s Changed for Jalin Hyatt?
After an abysmal sophomore season of eight receptions for 62 yards, Hyatt needs a significant change.
Getting a solid veteran quarterback, Russell Wilson, is an excellent start to that change. Although Wilson is a shell of his former self, he still has a phenomenal deep ball.
Now, in an offense much more predicated on explosive plays, Hyatt has a much clearer role. Another issue for him last year was that it was clear early in the 2024 season how bad the Giants were going to be. This led to multiple quarterback changes and desperate coaching. Unfortunately for Hyatt, he became lost in the shuffle and an afterthought in the offense.
Hyatt Has Flashed Greatness Already
In his rookie season, Hyatt showed great promise.
The major flashes were an 89-yard game against the Arizona Cardinals and a 109-yard game against the New England Patriots. In many of his catches, he burned his defender or found the open spot of a zone defense. If it weren’t for the Giants’ quarterbacks underthrowing him on many of these throws, he would have even better stats.
Who Will Hyatt Replace?
After the Giants surprisingly re-signed Darius Slayton, Hyatt will have to work much harder for his spot on the field.
Luckily for him, last year, it was evident how much Wan’Dale Robinson’s height limits his receiving. This makes it more likely that they will draw up a lot fewer plays for the slot receiver and instead give more opportunity for deep passes, Hyatt’s specialty.
Instead of Hyatt replacing anyone entirely, it is more likely that the Giants will adopt a different offensive approach this season that better suits him, resulting in more snaps and targets. The potential victims of his emergence are Robinson and Slayton, especially if Wilson prefers Hyatt’s deep threat abilities over Slayton’s.
What to Expect in the 2025 Season
After his 2024 season, almost anything would be better. A reasonably expected season for him would be 550-600 yards, 40-45 catches, and 4-6 touchdowns. These numbers are not mind-blowing, but they surpass all of his stats from his first two seasons combined.
If Hyatt does put together this type of season, he will solidify himself as a building block for the Giants offense and make Slayton and Robinson expendable. This would leave him to become a duo with rising superstar Malik Nabers.
Hyatt’s skill set enables him to become a long-lasting deep threat in the NFL and a fan favorite for the G-Men.
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