John Harbaugh’s coaching search might've finally doomed a Giants draft bust

If you find it harder and harder to justify Jalin Hyatt's roster spot on the New York Giants, you're not alone.

After coming alive late in his rookie season in 2023, it's been crickets. In the two years since, the 24-year-old former Biletnikoff Award winner has 13 receptions for 97 yards with zero touchdowns. For reference, backup quarterback Jameis Winston has more career touchdown receptions than the 2023 third-round draft pick, who was selected to play wide receiver.

It's been three years of waiting for the Tennessee standout to hit his stride (pun intended -- he was known as an elite deep threat in college), but it's clearer than ever that his time in East Rutherford is coming to a close sooner than later. And now, with John Harbaugh reshaping the staff, Hyatt may have him to thank -- or blame -- for finally pulling the plug.

According to reports, the New York Giants have interviewed Miami Dolphins wide receivers coach Robert Prince for their offensive coordinator vacancy. And that is an absolute nightmare for Hyatt, whose Giants career is hanging on by a thread.

Giants' Robert Prince coaching interview spells doom for Jalin Hyatt

The G-Men traded up in the 2023 Draft with the Los Angeles Rams to select the All-American 73rd overall. The hope was he'd come in and be an explosive playmaker for their offense, viewing the hotel chain as a potential steal.

If only someone could have told them how big a mistake they were making. Oh wait, Prince did exactly that when he was then-Dallas' wide receivers coach. At the time, the assistant scrutinized Hyatt's game hard, questioning his route tree and ability to translate his game beyond just speed.

The 2023 third-rounder said that there were no hard feelings and that he respected Prince as a coach, despite the brutal review.

Fast forward three years, and Prince couldn't have been more spot-on in his pre-draft analysis. And now he might become Big Blue's next offensive coordinator. Hmm... I wonder how nicely those two will play together with their interesting shared past.

Spoiler alert: they likely won't. We're talking oil and water.

You could argue that Hyatt would be more driven than ever to prove his potential new OC wrong once and for all, but it’s been back-to-back offseasons of Giants fans hearing about how much work he’s going to put in, only for him to follow it up with an even worse season. It’s time for a clean break, with both sides benefiting from a change of scenery.

As for Prince, he’s been around football a long time. His coaching career began back in 1989 at Humboldt State, and he’s worked his way through the NFL with stints at the Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Cowboys, and, most recently, the Dolphins.

The California-by-way-of-Japan native will face steep competition for the job. Right now, it’s former Ravens OC Todd Monken’s to lose. He’s waiting on the Cleveland Browns before deciding whether to join Harbs’ staff in North Jersey.

Whoever gets the gig, it's painfully obvious they'll be moving forward with a WR room Hyatt-less, especially if it's Prince, whose opinions on the struggling receiver are well-documented.