“(Tennessee) is getting the kind of speed that they don’t have. Wherever he goes he’s going to be the fastest guy. He just has blazing speed.
He can be a long strider. In track he could run the 400, the 800 if he wanted to. He strides, but he can also get out of the blocks and turn the defensive back over. I have to continually challenge our quarterbacks in practice to throw the ball further, to make him run and get it.
"I have to tell them to throw it as far as they can and about 90 percent of the time Jalin runs it down. He had one the other day that was the first time we’ve hit him in stride yet and that was about 70 yards.”
— Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts
HOW WILL HYATT FIT IN WITH THE VOLS?
As Knotts indicated, Tennessee simply doesn’t have a wideout on the roster like Hyatt. The Dutch Fork native clocked a 4.31 40-yard-dash at an Opening Regionals in April. He also has among the fastest verified times among any 2020 wideouts in the 100 and 200 meters.
Hyatt could play in the slot or line up as an X receiver. He needs to get stronger as a blocker, but he has real vertical threat ability and is a touchdown machine, as evidenced by his 21 trips to end zone during his junior season. He finished last season with 71 catches for 1,316 yards.
Hyatt doesn’t quite have the wiggle of a guy like Mecole Hardman, but under new OC Jim Chaney, Tennessee may utilize his skill-set in a similar manor. According to his coach, his upside is tremendous.
“He’s gotten better in just about every aspect as a player — his route running, just being able to catch the ball, his knowledge of the game,” Knotts said. “It’s been a natural progression from 9th grade to his senior year.”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TENNESSEE?
Technically, Hyatt is the first true wideout in the class. The expectation is for Jimmy Calloway to also play receiver for the Vols, but the Peach State native is a potential option at defensive back, too. In-state athlete Darrion Williamson also recently committed to UT, and the 6-foot-3, 190-pound athlete could play receiver, safety or even add weight and line up as a rover or outside linebacker.
Ultimately, the Vols want to add at least four receivers in the class, replacing outgoing seniors Jauan Jennings, Marquez Calloway, Brandon Johnson and Tyler Byrd.
LSU 5-star commit Rakim Jarrett remains the No. 1 option on the board, and the Vols remain in a nice spot to flip the nation’s 17 prospect, with in-state Maryland lingering. Tennessee is also looking to flip Alabama wideout commit Thaiu Jones-Bell and continue to sell 5-star athlete Arik Gilbert on the idea of playing strictly wideout versus a hybrid tight end role.