The New York Giants are doing everything they can to keep the belief alive in wide receiver Jalin Hyatt heading into his third NFL season.
After a disappointing sophomore year, the team is hoping Russell Wilson can unlock a part of Hyatt’s game that’s been dormant.
But optimism only goes so far, and another early injury has put his future under the microscope once again.
A 2024 season to forget for Jalin Hyatt
Last year couldn’t have gone much worse for Hyatt, who finished the season with just eight catches on 19 targets.
He tallied only 62 receiving yards in total, averaging under eight yards per reception in a pass game that sputtered often.
Hyatt’s 42.1% catch rate was one of the lowest among wideouts who saw at least 15 targets all season.
Granted, the Giants’ offensive line was crumbling and quarterback play was wildly inconsistent after Daniel Jones got injured.
Still relying on speed, but adding muscle
Hyatt’s calling card has always been his straight-line speed and deep ball potential, stretching defenses with vertical separation.
But NFL corners are too physical and smart to get beat by one-trick receivers, especially those who can’t win off the line.
To his credit, Hyatt recognized that and spent the offseason bulking up — adding 10-15 pounds to improve physicality.
That strength could help him fight through press coverage, create better leverage, and hang in tighter throwing windows.
If you’re going to live downfield in the NFL, you need more than just burners — you need toughness too.
Russell Wilson may be the key
With Russell Wilson under center, Hyatt finally gets a quarterback who can throw with timing and deep ball accuracy.
Wilson thrives on improvisation and play-action shots, which could benefit Hyatt if he earns the trust to be a target.
Unlike last season, there’s a better infrastructure in place for Hyatt to succeed if he stays healthy and plays to his strengths.
Wilson’s ability to read coverages pre-snap should also put Hyatt in more favorable matchups, especially on double moves.
Hamstring injury threatens early momentum
Unfortunately, Hyatt is already battling a hamstring issue that could keep him off the field for several weeks this summer.
It’s a tough blow for a player trying to build confidence and rhythm heading into a pivotal third season.
These soft tissue injuries have a tendency to linger, especially for players who rely on explosive acceleration like Hyatt does.
The Giants are right to hype him up, but they may need to proceed cautiously until his body proves it can hold up.
Hyatt still has everything to prove
No matter how much weight Hyatt adds or how much the coaching staff talks him up, production has to follow.
There’s a wide-open opportunity for him to emerge as a deep threat in a thin receiver room behind Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton.
But this feels like a classic “show me” situation — until he delivers on Sundays, the doubt will remain justified.
READ MORE: Don’t sleep on this Giants unit — top-10 potential is on the table
!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(“has-featured-video”,”true”)})}();