P
lays have been in short supply for Jalin Hyatt, and catches have been non-existent, but head coach Brian Daboll doesn’t sound in a rush to involve the New York Giants wide receiver more often.
Daboll spoke to reporters after Hyatt logged a second-straight game with less than 20 snaps, but no catches, to start the 2024 NFL season. The coach explained, “he got 13 0r 14 plays” during the 21-18 defeat to the Washington Commanders in Week 2, although “that’s not because of Jalin Hyatt,” per Giants Videos.
While Daboll has faith in starting wideouts Darius Slayton and Malik Nabers, he acknowledged the Giants “sprinkle in Hyatt in particular plays.” Making select use of Hyatt’s deep speed makes sense, but Daboll was blunt when he said the third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft is “the third guy in, per se, when we go two-receiver sets, and he’s the fourth guy in when we go three-receiver sets.”
That’s a sobering statement about where Hyatt is in the pecking order. His lowly status is surprising on two levels.
First, because the Giants lack true game-breaking wideouts beyond impressive rookie Nabers. Second, because Daboll has made attacking defenses vertically, the strength of Hyatt’s game, a point of emphasis this season.
Select Use of Jalin Hyatt Makes Sense
This far from the first time Hyatt has had to deal with a lack of targets, but there’s a contradiction in Daboll’s latest comments. It concerns the idea of mixing in a few plays for Hyatt, but those select snaps have not resulted in any catches so far this season.
That’s a problem because Hyatt has niche skills. Namely, the ability to stretch the field and take the top off defenses.
He proved as much by averaging 16.2 yards per reception as a rookie. Hyatt was even getting deep during this year’s training camp.
This should be a breakout season for Hyatt, when Daboll wants quarterback Daniel Jones to “turn it loose when he needs to turn it loose,” per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy.
As Dunleavy pointed out, “If the Giants are going to capitalize on the speed of Malik Nabers and Jalin Hyatt and significant offensive-line investments made to provide a cleaner pocket, the ball needs to go down the field like it did when 11.8 percent of Jones’ passes covered 20 yards or more and resulted in nine touchdown passes in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus.”
So far, Hyatt has yet to be a big part of putting Daboll’s plan into action. That has to change now the head coach is calling plays, although Daboll has been drawing up effective concepts for other receivers.
Brian Daboll’s Plan is Working for Other Receivers
Daboll taking the headset from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was supposed to mean a more expansive passing game. In part, that’s happened, with Nabers and fellow wideout Wan’Dale Robinson benefiting from more elaborate play designs.
Nabers was a breakout playmaker against the Commanders, although the sixth player drafted this year remains haunted by a play he didn’t make. One play Nabers did get right was his first touchdown grab in the pros.
It showed how Daboll is creating space to free his best receivers. As Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View detailed, “BUNCH trail concept w/ Wan’Dale Robinson as No. 3 (the follow)…No. 2 clearout with No. 3 (Nabers) underneath. Create traffic, cause confusion, touchdown #Giants.”
Moving players around and unleashing multiple, daring route combinations is making the Giants more proactive through the air. The same things worked for Robinson’s scoring catch against Washington.
Falato also broke down how the Giants used “11 personnel and hit the boundary stick (No. 2) away from Nabers against pressure for six.”
Getting three receivers onto the field regularly is how the Giants hone and refine the kind of passing attack Daboll wants. It means there’s still a small window of opportunity for Hyatt to make the grade.
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