Jalin Hyatt, Eric Gray react to being teammates again with New York Giants
Eric Gray was with his family in Norman, Oklahoma, fresh off Oklahoma’s 52-42 win over Kansas back on October 15. The 11 a.m. local time start allowed the former Tennessee running back to sit down and watch the Vols as they hosted Alabama at Neyland Stadium.
He was glued to the game as Jalin Hyatt went off against the Crimson Tide, catching six passes for 206 yards and a Tennessee single-game record five touchdowns.
“I was rooting for him,” Gray told reporters on Saturday, after the New York Giants held their second rookie minicamp practice of the weekend. “I was rooting for him the whole way. Had a lot of (former) teammates played, that still played on that team.”
Jalin Hyatt, Eric Gray teammates again with New York Giants
Now Hyatt and Gray are teammates again. The Giants picked Hyatt in the third round of the NFL Draft, at No. 73 overall, ahead of Gray in the fifth round, at No. 172.
Gray spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Tennessee, after picking the Vols as a four-star prospect out of Memphis. He had 1,680 yards from scrimmage — 1,311 rushing yards and 301 receiving yards — and 11 touchdowns, but was part of the mass exodus out of Knoxville after Jeremy Pruitt was fired.
Gray, linebacker Henry To’o To’o, offensive lineman Wanya Morris and safety Key Lawrence all entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on the same day. To’o To’o ended up at Alabama while Gray, Morris and Lawrence all landed at Oklahoma.
Over the last two seasons with the Sooners, Gray rushed for 1,778 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 56 passes for 458 yards and two more scores.
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“Man, he’s a good dude,” Hyatt said of Gray. “When I came in as a freshman (at Tennessee), he was there and showed me the way around the facility. I’m good friends with him. I met him through the process of everything when I was there with Pruitt.
“When he left, I was sad. But now he’s one of my best friends. We’re very close.”
Eric Gray: ‘Bro, Jalin is doing his thing tonight’
Hyatt caught 20 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2020, when he was teamed up with Gray. He stuck around after the Pruitt firing, catching 21 passes for 226 yards as a sophomore in 2021, then exploded with 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, becoming Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff Award winner.
The speed that Hyatt showed off all last season is exactly what Gray saw from the start.
“When he came in as a freshman that’s what you knew — as soon as first workout, his speed,” Gray said. “His speed is what he’s good at; that’s his strength. His speed, so definitely noticed that from the first day.”
Hyatt said Gray has a similar skill set out of the backfield.
“When (Gray) gets the ball in his hands, he’s electric,” he said. “He can make people miss. That’s his best attribute. I really believe that’s what he’s going to do here.”
Hyatt did just that at an elite level against Alabama, when Gray was watching his former team.
“Unbelievable,” Gray said. “I was watching it live, so I was like, bro, Jalin is doing his thing tonight.”
