Much of the buzz around the New York Giants offseason program has been surrounding third-year wide receiver, Jalin Hyatt.
The little-used former third-round pick came in with an additional 15-20 pounds of muscle on him and a ringing endorsement from new starting quarterback Russell Wilson, whom he had been working out privately this offseason.
On Tuesday, at the Giants’ mandatory minicamp, Hyatt left the field to get his left leg stretched out, but it appears to be a minor issue. That didn’t preclude Wilson from singing his praises about Hyatt to the media afterward.
“I saw him do it in college not too long ago. I also saw him make some big-time plays in the National Football League; I remember he had this sweet catch against Arizona that he went up and snagged it over somebody’s head. He did it at home too once – and just multiple times, he’s made some great plays,” Wilson told reporters.
The issue with Hyatt is that he hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity with the Giants in his first two seasons. Although Hyatt has been available for 33 of the 34 games since joining the Giants in 2023, he’s started just 10.
Hyatt has not brought the consistency the team had hoped and now sits down the depth chart behind rising superstar Malik Nabers and the dependable Wan’Dale Robinson. Wilson hopes to change that.
“I think that the biggest thing is just consistency that I can bring to him every day too and just making sure that I’m always giving him the extra opportunities down the field, but also not just down the field, but in any play we’ve got and spending extra time on the field,” Wilson said. “And he’s got great work ethic, Jalin does, and I think he’s got a great grit to him. I think that he wants to be great every day, and he’s got all the special pieces to it all.
“I think what makes a great receiver is his ability to catch the ball and contest the situations. He does a great job of that, and he’s got a great opportunity, in my opinion, this year to really set the tone in a great way. I’ve got all the belief in Jalin and who he’s going to be and what he’s going to mean to us and make clutch plays for us when it really matters in great way. I’m excited for what he’s going to do this year and the rest of his career.
Wilson continued to expound Hyatt’s virtues, but the onus is clearly on the former Tennessee standout to make his mark going forward. Wilson is a great deep-ball thrower. We’re about to see if Hyatt can be a great deep-ball catcher.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants’ Russell Wilson continues to pound the drum for Jalin Hyatt
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
