There’s not much more to say about New York Giants third-year wide receiver Jalin Hyatt these days except “just do it.”
After two seasons of unlimited promise and very little production, the former Tennessee speedster is being given one last shot to prove he was worth trading up for in the draft two years ago. A third-round pick should be much further along than Hyatt is at the moment.
In the Giants’ final preseason game on Thursday night against the New England Patriots, Hyatt was the Giants’ No. 1 receiver with Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Darius Slayton all inactive. His performance had a little bit of everything, but the questions about his growth are still lingering.
Hyatt scored a touchdown in the game, but it was his failure to bring in two other passes that people will remember.
“It felt good (to score) … but disappointed in my performance,” a solemn Hyatt told the New York Post. “Felt like I could’ve made more plays out there. It wasn’t the DBs at all. Both of them were beautiful (passes). I have to come down with those.
“I just have to correct some things. Attack the ball, things I know I can do.”
The coaches are watching closely. Hyatt’s contrition will only get him so much at this point. He’s gotta make the plays now.
“I thought he made a nice play on that ball that (quarterback Jameis Winston) 19 threw, ran a couple good routes,” head coach Brian Daboll said on his Friday conference call with reporters. “I’m sure there are a couple plays he’d like to have back, but I like the way he responded in that drive on that touchdown catch.”
The Giants have a deep rotation of wide receiver talent in camp this summer, and Hyatt is being afforded the opportunity to compete for a prominent role. The Giants narrowed the pool on Friday by cutting veterans Zach Pascal and Montrell Washington, and undrafted rookie Jordan Bly.
With his chances of winning a roster spot a little better, Hyatt knows he still has to better in order to fit into the Giants’ plans.
“That’s all up to the front office and how they look through film and what they see,” Hyatt told The Post. “I left some plays out there that I think the coaching staff understands I can make, but I have to be more consistent. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
Will those two drops cost Hyatt his job? The deadline for roster cuts is 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants’ Jalin Hyatt ‘disappointed’ with his drops, inconsistency