The New York Giants are still processing that star wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. After all, he's a franchise cornerstone and has been the focal point of their offense since bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2024.
Nabers' absence undeniably has a massive long-term trickle-down effect that could completely change the Giants' complexion. Meanwhile, the club must figure out how to replace him for the rest of the 2025 NFL campaign, a virtually impossible task. However, New York's injured playmaker ostensibly has faith in his teammates to pick up the slack, namely Jalin Hyatt.
During his media availability on Wednesday, Hyatt revealed that he and Nabers had a "long talk" following the latter's devastating knee ailment. The message from their conversation was clear: seize the opportunity.
"[Nabers'] one of my best friends on this team," Hyatt told reporters. "He's been in my corner, he's kind of seen the adversity I've been through. He just told me it's my chance, this is the time for me to do what I've got to do."
It's great to hear Nabers is encouraging his Giants comrades, using not having him in the lineup as motivation to carve out a role for themselves. Nevertheless, he's setting Big Blue Nation up for disappointment; that ship has all but sailed for Hyatt in New York.
Malik Nabers set Giants fans up for massive Jalin Hyatt letdown
There was palpable excitement surrounding Hyatt's arrival in New York when Hyatt "fell" to the Giants in the third round of the 2023 draft. He was coming off a 1,267-yard, 15-touchdown junior season at Tennessee, earning the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver in college football. Scouts touted him as a late Day 1/early Day 2 prospect, thanks to his combination of blazing speed and ball-tracking ability.
Alas, Hyatt's success with the Volunteers hasn't translated to the pros through roughly two-and-a-quarter seasons. He's struggled to find a place in New York and has seen his opportunities diminish annually. It's hard to envision head coach Brian Daboll suddenly leaning on him, regardless of Nabers' words of encouragement and health (or lack thereof).
Hyatt has become an afterthought in the Giants' pass-catching rotation. He's appeared in just two of four games thus far this year despite being active for all of them. His 35 snaps and 18 routes run during this stretch tell us more about what to expect from him moving forward than Nabers' optimistic outlook.