Jalin Hyatt clocked at record 24 miles per hour in training camp
Only five wide receivers ran a faster 40-yard-dash time than former Tennessee wideout Jalin Hyatt at this year’s NFL Combine, recording a 4.40-second time. But apparently, Hyatt’s game speed that he’s displayed so far during New York Giants training camp has reached unprecedented heights.
Giants beat reporter Art Stapleton reported on Sunday that Hyatt has reached 24 miles per hour on the team’s GPS tracking technology ‘a few times’ throughout training camp so far.
For context, the fastest speed ever recorded in NFL history during a game was clocked by Tyreek Hill in 2016 when he reached 23.2 miles per hour, and 27.8 miles per hour was the highest speed that legendary sprinter Usain Bolt reached during his career.
Hyatt has not played a single down of NFL football just yet, but does he have the potential to be regarded as the league’s fastest wide receiver as a rookie?
His speed and ability to contribute to the team’s vertical passing game was a big reason why the Giants traded up to select Hyatt with the No. 73 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. New York averaged just 185.7 passing yards per game last season with only six teams performing worse in the category, and Hyatt alone last season averaged 105.6 yards per game.
Hyatt took home the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season awarded to college football’s most outstanding receiver after having a breakout season for the Volunteers where he had 67 catches for 1,267 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns, averaging 18.9 yards per reception. He ranked fifth in the nation in receiving yards, second in receiving touchdowns, and second in yards per catch of players with 50+ catches last season.
His game against Alabama last season truly displayed how dangerous his speed can be on the football field, as he scored five touchdowns on just 6 catches for 207 yards. His scores primarily were a result of him getting behind the defensive backfield as a part of Tennessee’s vertical passing attack, which included 78-yard and 60-yard touchdown receptions along with an 11-yard score where he stretched the defensive horizontally as well in the red zone catching a ball in the flat behind the line of scrimmage.
Hyatt has been impressive in Giants training camp, reportedly getting the best of the team’s first and second-team defense and even earning himself first-team reps with the offense.
And it may be too early to crown him the fastest wideout in the NFL, but it will definitely be interesting to see how big of an impact he can make on the Giants’ offense with his blazing speed.