I’m a vol fan so I could be biased, but I think they don’t get the questions because if you watch them play, they look like they would be successful anywhere. Tillman was mossing guys and dragging DBs down the field, and he has prototypical size. Wright stonewalled everybody and is huge.
On tape, Hyatt looks like a burner who is constantly running wide open dude to scheme. I don’t recall him jumping over guys or making crazy contested catches like Tillman. I think it’s fair to wonder if he would have put up those same numbers in a scheme that didn’t have him wide open all the time.
I mean if that was the case and it was truly JUST scheme why didn't every WR here have the sort of space that Hyatt did?
I don't think the scheme is the only factor in his success. It puts defenses in man to man with less help and Hyatt simply took advantage and burnt his man more often than any other WR UT has had the last two seasons. He also did that with Tillman banged up and missing big chunks of the season, so he WAS the guy and still managed to dominate.
5 catches or more in 9 of 12 games
50 yards or more in 11 of 12 games
caught a TD in 7 of 12 games
Tillman only appeared in 6 of those 12 games too. So it's not like the Bama game was simply a fluke when teams saw what he did to them and then he still roasted Kentucky and Missouri and would have also torched Vandy if he had played more than the first couple series before playing it safe.
I do think his games against Georgia and South Carolina (both on the road) hurt his draft stock though. But based on the draft Hyatt and the Vols WRs weren't just putting up numbers against bad teams.
Bama = 3 safeties drafted
Georgia = 1 CB & 1 Safety drafted
Kentucky = 1 CB drafted
LSU = 1 CB & 1 Safety drafted
Pittsburgh = 2 safeties drafted
South Carolina = 2 CBs drafted
Still went in the top 100 picks, but had Hyatt's goal been to maximize draft stock he would have torched Clemson and left no doubt. His combine was damn good, even if he ONLY ran a 4.40 in his 1 attempt so not sure he could have done anything else.