Getty The Buffalo Bills are hosting two top prospects, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (L) and defensive lineman Zacch Pickens (R), ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
With just a few weeks before the 2023 NFL draft kicks off, the Buffalo Bills are doing their diligence to figure out who they should select with their No. 27 overall pick.
On Monday, April 10, The Score‘s Jordan Schultz reported that Buffalo has “two big visits” scheduled at the facility today, Tennessee standout wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and South Carolina defensive lineman Zacch Pickens.
Like every other team, the Bills have met with a large pool of prospective talent ahead of the draft, but news that these two players were in Orchard Park for a meeting was met with mixed reactions on Twitter. While the Bills are in the hunt for a solid wide receiver to back up Stefon Diggs, SB Nation’s Bruce Nolan couldn’t get excited about Hyatt.
Nolan tweeted, “Hyatt at 27 would be one of those ‘I mean ok I guess but that’s a lot of projection by the team’ kind of picks… He runs fast. He tracks the ball well. He catches it well. There’s a lot more to playing receiver than that. It’s a ‘my coaches can coach this guy up’ pick IMO.”
Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt says if he got a chance to play with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs they would “wear it out”. He went on to rave about the Bills offense.
However, ESPN‘s Matt Miller wrote on April 7, “Wide receivers with high-end speed to stretch the field seemingly always rise on draft day, and Hyatt’s production in the SEC should turn heads once coaches get involved in the process of stacking team boards.
Hyatt averaged 18.9 yards per reception last year and scored 15 touchdowns en route to a Biletnikoff Award trophy for the nation’s best receiver. He also couldn’t be stopped by Nick Saban’s Alabama defense; multiple scouts are still talking about his six catches for 207 yards and five touchdowns against the Crimson Tide.”
After learning that the 21-year-old, 6-foot, 180-pound receiver visiting the Bills on Monday, Cover 1 contributor Ajay Cybulski tweeted, “I like 7-8 receivers before Hyatt, but his highlights against Alabama are cool.”
Pickens Isn’t Predicted to Be a First-Round Selection
South Carolina DT Zacch Pickens (#6) walking the center back into the QB’s lap
As for Pickens, a former five-star recruit, Bills Chat Podcast wrote, “Pickens is an intriguing athlete you could get on day 2. High upside, but needs refinement,” while WDOM Sports broadcaster Peter DiBiasi believes the interior defender will likely go later than that. DiBiasi tweeted, “The sweet spot for the Bills at the DT position is the 3rd and 4th round.”
SI‘s Carter Landis wrote of 23-year-old tackle, “Pickens’ quickness off the ball is the first thing that stands out. He has an elite get-off that allows him to shoot gaps efficiently. He’s violent with his hands and disrupts offensive linemen easily.
Some of the main concerns about Pickens’ game is that he is not the biggest player for his position. He is listed at 6-4 and 300 pounds, and occasionally this playing size has caused difficulty for him. He also might not offer a ton of upside as a pass rusher.”
NFL Analyst Predicted Buffalo Will Draft Hyatt in the First Round of the NFL Draft
Bills Insider Chris Brown said he “for sure” sees the Bills selecting a WR within the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Some potential targets that may be available for the Bills could include Josh Downs, Zay Flowers, and Jalin Hyatt 👀
Even after signing wide receivers Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty in free agency, the Bills are highly expected to draft a playmaker in the first few rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.
Buffalo is still searching for “that one significant piece that can put them over the top,” The Athletic wrote last week. And if they don’t land DeAndre Hopkins, “An early-round receiver could be a priority to help the short-term and long-term health of the position.”
Last week, Fox Sports analyst Henry McKenna wrote, “The draft could be where the Bills acquire the personnel that helps seal their victory in the AFC East,” and predicted the team drafts Hyatt with their No. 27 overall pick, a wide receiver who recorded 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2022 NFL season.
6 catches
207 yards
5 TDs
@Vol_Football WR @jalinhyatt put up video game numbers against Alabama. 🔥
📺: 2023 #NFLDraft — Starts Thursday, April 27 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
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“Buffalo essentially has to decide who it sees as the fifth-best pass-catcher in this year’s draft, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, Michael Mayer and Quentin Johnston already off the board,” McKenna wrote.
“So the Bills’ options include Hyatt, tight end Dalton Kincaid and Zay Flowers, among others. Kincaid is drawing comparisons to Zach Ertz, essentially an upgraded version of the team’s current tight end, Dawson Knox. Flowers is an electric slot player. But I’ll take Hyatt, who will be the Bills’ WR2 in 2023.”