Giants’ Jalin Hyatt named top-10 candidate for Rookie of the Year

One of the reasons the New York Giants received high praise for their 2023 draft class was because of the players they selected in the second and third rounds who were mocked as first rounders.

While many thought they would draft a receiver in the first round, Big Blue ended up waiting on the position and selecting Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt in the third round, which was a surprise to even general manager Joe Schoen, who didn’t think Hyatt would be around in that spot.

“Not really,” Schoen said with a chuckle when asked if he thought Hyatt would still be on the board that late.

Now, with a little more than a month away from the season, and with training camp in full swing, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com named Hyatt as a top-10 candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

According to Pro Football Focus, Daniel Jones was next to last in average depth of passing targets last season, but that should change with Jaylin Hyatt on the field. The third-round pick brings premium deep speed and home-run ability to the Giants’ offense, and he’ll almost certainly have some eye-catching games as a rookie. However, he’s unlikely to be a high- or even mid-volume option, so that’s why he’s considered a bit of a long shot for the OROY award.

As stated, Hyatt winning the award would be quite the long shot, especially considering how crowded the Giants’ wide receivers room is. However, the speed in Hyatt’s skill set may suit him well for offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s offense.

Hyatt is the fourth-highest ranked receiver on the list, but he did come in ahead of Zay Flowers, who was taken in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens.

Also ahead of Hyatt are two running backs and three quarterbacks that went in the first round, a group that includes Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.

It would certainly be a surprise for Hyatt to win the award. However, the fact that he is being recognized as a potential candidate shows the talent he is bringing to the Giants’ offense. Hopefully, the Giants can benefit from landing the Tennessee product.