Raiders 2023 7-round Mock Draft: Las Vegas lands a franchise QB
Depending on who you ask, Jalin Hyatt is anywhere from a mid-first-round pick to a second or third-round pick in the upcoming draft. Some of the concerns around him are related to him being a one-season wonder and having a limited route tree. What we do know for sure is that Hyatt is a speed demon and had one of the best seasons in Tennessee history for a wide receiver.
In 12 games for the Volunteers, he has 67 catches for 1267 yards and 15 touchdowns. Things slowed down a bit for him after the loss of his starting quarterback to injury, but he is still one of the better receiver prospects in this year‘s class. The Raiders have one of the best receivers in the league in Davante Adams, but the offense lacked a true speedster to help take the top off of defenses.
Hyatt ran a 40 in 4.29 seconds and fits the bill as a deep threat at any level.
It may seem counter-productive for the Raiders to draft a wide receiver with some of these early picks given the needs on defense, but you can never have enough talent at this position. Adams has been durable but there were several games where guys like Mack Hollins and Keelan Cole were counted on to make big plays and that is not a recipe for long term success.
If a player of Hyatt’s ability is still available at this point in the draft the Raiders would be foolish to pass him up.