There may not be be many fans of Jalin Hyatt among today’s New York Giants, but a great player from the franchise’s Super Bowl-winning tradition still believes big things are to come from the talented, but erratic wide receiver.
Carl Banks, who won two Super Bowls as an outside linebacker on some of the greatest Giants’ defenses on all-time, believes in Hyatt for two reasons. The first involves the arrival of strong-armed veteran Russell Wilson as Big Blue’s new starting quarterback.
Banks pointed out how he’s “been telling @jalinhyatt to stay focused and stay patient. Him not playing had nothing to do with his skillset or commitment. I am really looking forward to his BIG 2025 year. Russ’ Moon ball to Hyatt for big plays.”
The combination of Hyatt’s straight-line speed and Wilson’s well-established niche for throwing deep can be prolific for the Giants, but it’s not all down to the passer. Banks is also convinced Hyatt “is the best *PURE* catcher of the football on the roster.”
That’s bold praise for a wideout who has struggled to make the grade since being a top-100 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Not many would give Hyatt any kind of edge over No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers, nor slot-specialist Wan’Dale Robinson and veteran vertical threat Darius Slayton, but Banks has the knowledge and authority to stand up for his contrarian view.
Russell Wilson Can Transform Jalin Hyatt
Banks’ argument is compelling when considering Wilson’s ability to out-throw coverage. The 36-year-old still has the arm talent, evidenced by this deep strike to George Pickens against the Cincinnati Bengals last season, highlighted by Nick Akridge of Pro Football Focus.
Wilson averaged 4.1 deep-ball attempts per game for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, according to Player Profiler. The veteran signal-caller also averaged 7.9 intended air yards per pass attempt, per Pro Football Reference.
Those numbers show Wilson is still at his best when throwing the aptly named “moon ball.” He won’t have to worry about Nabers and Slayton getting on the end of this type of long pass, but Wilson also thinks “Jalin Hyatt can do it more too. He’s so special” (h/t Talkin’ Giants).
Hyatt’s career average of covering 12.3 yards before catch per reception shows his flair for stretching the field. It’s a core talent he’ll need to tap into more often if Hyatt’s going to stay relevant in an increasingly crowded rotation.
Giants Have Increased Competition at Wide Receiver
A slew of signings at the position following this year’s draft showed the Giants are serious about making wide receiver a strength. So did the decision to bring back Slayton during free agency, a move that weakened Hyatt’s status.
The Giants could have let Slayton test the market and passed the mantle of in-house deep threat to Hyatt. Not doing so proved the team still isn’t comfortable trusting the inconsistent 23-year-old.
A lack of faith is understandable when Hyatt hasn’t displayed enough nuance as a route-runner. He’s also found both targets and even snaps hard to come by on a weekly basis.
It says something the Giants, particularly general manager Joe Schoen, are still optimistic Hyatt can scare defenses over the top. Schoen identified the right QB as key to Hyatt’s development, and few passers are more suited to unlocking his skill-set than Wilson.
If it doesn’t happen now, Hyatt will likely never become the player the Giants expected.
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