Tennessee wide receiver and 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner Jalin Hyatt has officially announced that he will be declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft and opting out of the Vols’ 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl game on Dec. 30 in Miami, Florida. The junior wide receiver made the announcement on social media on Wednesday afternoon.
“After careful consideration with my family, I have decided to begin preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft,” Hyatt said in his Instagram post. “Though I will not be playing in the Orange Bowl, I will be there in Miami to support my teammates like I always have.”
Since the end of the regular season, Hyatt has been a magnet to postseason college football awards and recognitions. In addition to becoming Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff winner in program history, eight different publications have all named the Irmo, South Carolina native a First Team All-America selection: AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp, AP, Sporting News, ESPN, the Athletic, and CBS Sports/247Sports.
Hyatt was unbelievable for Tennessee this year – especially considering the Volunteers’ offense was without superstar wide receiver Cedric Tillman for the majority of the year. While defenses had every opportunity to lock in on Hyatt, the Tennessee wide receiver just continued to accel.
More from RTI: Jalin Hyatt Racking Up Postseason Honors
Hyatt finished the regular season with 1,267 yards on 67 receptions. The Dutch Fork High School product took to the college football scene like wildfire this year, impressing spectators with a dynamite 5-touchdown game against Alabama and a total of 11 touchdowns over a four-game span that included No. 25 LSU, No. 3 Alabama, and No. 19 Kentucky.
The decision by Jalin Hyatt to go ahead and focus on the build to his professional career is one that isn’t too unexpected. Hyatt’s stock has never been higher than it is right now when it comes to NFL Draft value. CBS Sports has Hyatt as the No. 6 wide receiver in the class with Cedric Tillman coming in as the No. 9 receiver on the board.
Additionally, according to a mock draft from Pro Football Network earlier this week, Hyatt is projected as a second-round draft pick. Pro Football Network has Hyatt being drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 25th pick of the second round.
In three seasons at Tennessee, Jalin Hyatt ends his Volunteer career with 1,769 yards and 19 touchdowns on 108 receptions.
Jalin Hyatt 2022 Tennessee Accolades (via UT Sports)
- Leads the Power Five in: receiving yards (1,267), receiving yards per game (105.6) and touchdown receptions (15)
- In five wins over AP Top 25 teams at the time of meeting has racked up a combined 539 receiving yards and nine touchdowns
- His 15 TD catches are more than 30 FBS schools have thrown for as a team the entire season
- Ranks third in the FBS in receiving yards per game (105.6) and fourth in total receiving yards (1,267) and did it vs. a strength of schedule ranked seventh in the nation according to ESPN FPI
4 Responses
Time to unleash the Squirrel…GBO….We don’t rebuild…we reload!!!!
I think he’s a jerk!for not doing the orange bowl! Standing by his team .it was the UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE that got him here!
We have been told for years how important the extra practices associated with bowl preparation are for next season. So let next season’s QB and receivers start to get on the same page. I also understand not risking injury when the big pay day is just months away. He served the program and his teammates well and I wish him the best of luck.
Not buying the leaving early business. If I was a teammate, I would be reminding these players they are letting the rest of the team, coaches and fan down. One more game to play for the University. If we were playing in the playoffs, would they still opt out? I am guessing not. They just don’t see the value of this game and have deserted their University and fans. My prediction; neither one of these WR will become superstars in the NFL.