Getty Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns don’t have a first or second-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft but Andrew Berry and Co. are still doing their homework on some of the top picks.
The Browns hosted Tennessee wide receiver prospect Jalin Hyatt on Tuesday, which is interesting because the former Volunteer is expected to be a first-round pick. The visit was first reported by Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
The #Browns hosted WR Tank Dell (Houston) today and are expected to host WR Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee) Tuesday, per league sources.
NFL.com has Hyatt going to the Chargers in their latest mock draft at No. 21 overall, while ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Texans taking him at the top of the second round with the No. 33 overall pick.
It’s highly unlikely Hyatt will fall to the Browns all the way at pick No. 74. However, things could always change. If he slides down the draft board and perhaps the Browns decide to move up, there’s always a chance Cleveland tries to make it work.
And there’s no doubt owner Jimmy Haslam liked seeing Hyatt in his building, seeing as he’s one of the biggest boosters involved with Tennessee football. Haslam attended Tennessee and his brother, Bill Haslam, is the former governor of Tennessee.
The Browns also hosted Nathaniel “Tank” Dell for a visit. Dell is a speedy, small receiver and might be more in the Browns’ range.
Jalin Hyatt Draws Comparisons to DeSean Jackson
While the Browns likely won’t land Hyatt, the idea of him teaming up with Deshaun Watson is intriguing, considering his blazing speed. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein has DeSean Jackson as his pro comparison. Here’s the breakdown on Hyatt, via NFL.com:
“Long, slender wideout with deep speed that could force defensive coordinators to alter coverage considerations. Hyatt’s gliding gait disguises explosive acceleration that can lead to easy separation on deep throws. However, he does display inconsistency on contested catches comes. Hyatt is ordinary getting in and out of intermediate breaks and might be best with a limited route tree full of slants, crossers and a series of field-stretching patterns. Hyatt is an instantly credible WR2 with the ability to make a huge impact, but production could be erratic due to the limitations of his game.”
Hyatt was a First-Team All-American last season and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in football. He led the Vols with 67 receptions, ranking fifth nationally with 1,267 receiving yards and tying for second with 15 touchdowns in 12 starts.
Browns Excited About Potential of Wide Receivers
GettyWide receiver Elijah Moore with the New York Jets in 2022.
The Browns needed to address the wide receiver position this offseason and did some nice work, trading for Elijah Moore and adding speedy veteran Marquise Goodwin. Both should help add a new element to the offense with their speed, which Berry is excited about.
“Despite maybe how it’s looked at times, I love speed,” Berry said, per the team’s official website. “We love speed, and there’s probably no general manager or head coach that says they want to be slow on the perimeter necessarily, but when you have an opportunity to add a good player who can really stress the defense with his ability to run, that’s an opportunity that we’re always going to look to take advantage of.”
Berry mentioned that he doesn’t feel the position is complete, which holds more true after an unfortunate offseason injury to Michael Woods. The second-year pass-catcher ruptured his Achilles while working out with Watson.