INDIANAPOLIS — Player comparisons are as customary at the NFL combine as 40-times.
Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt is regarded as a first-round talent, and told reporters during his media availability March 3 just who he thought was similar to his playing style in the NFL.
“I think for me as far as size as far as length I’ll say Devonta Smith, just because he has long arms, I have long arms, he catches everything with his hands, I catch everything with my hands,” Hyatt said. “He’s dynamic, explosive. That’s what I try to be.”
Hyatt caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Volunteers last season while playing at 6-0, 175 pounds. Similarly, in Smith’s final season with Alabama in 2020, he caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns.
“He balled out in the SEC and what he’s doing in the league and that’s something I want to do as well,” said Hyatt. “So, I’ll say Devonta Smith just because of what he did at Bama and what he’s doing right now.”
Smith produced 95 catches for 1,196 yards and five touchdowns for the Eagles in their run to Super Bowl LVII.
While Hyatt admits there are areas where Smith excels in comparison, he believes he is faster and slightly bigger. Nevertheless the similar build the two wideouts have has shown to warrant success at the pro level.
Said Hyatt: “Just seeing what he does in the NFL, what he does against defenders in the league was probably the biggest thing that I look at this to see the difference you know, from SEC to the big leagues for sure.”
Some mock drafts have the Houston Texans picking Hyatt with their No. 12 overall pick in Round 1. Adding Hyatt to the receiving corps would give the Texans a young weapon to pair with their eventual franchise quarterback they select at No. 2 overall.
