NFL mock draft: Cowboys 7-round 2023 projection to leap over playoff hump
WR. 2. player. 123. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Tennessee. Jalin Hyatt
Cowboys badly need an outside deep threat like Jalin Hyatt on offense
In hindsight given where Dallas ended up with the salary cap towards the end of the offseason, it felt like Jerry and Stephen Jones made a legitimate mistake in trading Amari Cooper as a salary-dumping measure. That was most evident in the playoff loss to the 49ers when it felt like the passing offense was either get the ball to CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Schultz, or say a prayer.
The team handed out a big contract to Michael Gallup last offseason — another feather in the cap of the idea that trading Cooper was a bit senseless — despite him coming off an ACL injury. And that deal looked immediately troublesome as Gallup was just downright bad throughout much of the year, particularly in the playoffs when he looked unable to separate.
Put simply, the Cowboys desperately need a reliable outside target that can stretch the field. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in this draft who is more ideally suited to that role, especially in the second round, than Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt.
A breakout star in the 2022 college season, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has a slight frame but is an absolute burner who can line up anywhere at the next level. His ability to beat defenders with one move and his speed and then track deep balls is incredible and he would be a perfect complement for the future of the offensive weapons alongside Lamb.