Joe Milton says Jalin Hyatt is the NFL's new fastest wide receiver
The NFL has a new fastest wide receiver, according to Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III. And it’s his former teammate Jalin Hyatt, the third-round pick of the New York Giants.
“All I can say is, man, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are not the fastest in the NFL anymore,” Milton said Tuesday morning during an appearance of NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football.’ “That guy is running.”
Hyatt last season at Tennessee ran all the way to 1,267 receiving yards, only 31 short of matching Tennessee’s single-season record, and 15 touchdowns, a new program record. He also became the first Tennessee receiver to win the Biletnikoff Award winner.
Milton said the Giants are getting more than just speed in Hyatt, too.
“(They’re getting) a lot,” he said. “A guy that can catch, can run routes, that’s for sure. We put an emphasis on that. The guy can actually run routes. He understands football. He understands what the coaches want. He’s just going to bring it to the table. And other than that, he’s just going to run. He’s going to run, he’s going to catch it.”
Hyatt was one of five Tennessee players selected in last month’s NFL Draft. He was one of four Vols selected in the third round.
Darnell Wright went at No. 10 overall to the Chicago Bears in the first round. Hendon Hooker started the run in the third round at pick No. 68 overall, to the Detroit Lions. Hyatt and Cedric Tillman were picked back-to-back at No. 73 and No. 74, with Tillman going to the Cleveland Browns, and Byron Young was picked at No. 77 overall by the Los Angeles Rams.
Hyatt on May 15 signed his rookie contract with the Giants, valued by Spotrac at $5.610 million, including a projected $1.091 million signing bonus.
“Jalin Hyatt is another guy we had graded fairly highly on our board,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said. “We got into the third round, kind of like a sore thumb … hey, let’s start making some phone calls and see if we could give up our fourth. When does it come in to play? We would just have to give up our fourth.”
The Giants traded up to get Hyatt in the third, sending picks to the Los Angeles Rams to make the move and call Hyatt’s name with the 73rd overall pick.
“Now it’s time to get down and grind and do what I have to do,” Hyatt said. “The Giants traded up to get me and that’s something I’ll always remember. I can’t wait to go out and show out for them.”
Hyatt caught 20 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2020 and 21 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021, during a quiet first two years on campus before exploding onto the national scene during his junior season.
“Life changing,” Hyatt said of the moment he heard his name in the draft. “This is a dream. Dream to play (in New York). I had a feeling I was going to come here too. I had that feeling. I don’t know why. But man, I’m just blessed to be here, blessed to be in this position. And I just can’t wait to make the most of it.”
