Jalin Hyatt brought the Fred Biletnikoff award for the 2022 season, the award annually given to college football’s best receiver, to Tennessee football. It is no wonder why Knoxville would be a wide receiver’s dream.
Josh Heupel will definitely try to use Hyatt’s record-breaking season to try and seal the deal with this Ryan Pellum – top-50 wide receiver in the class of 2024.
Pellum announced on Saturday that Tennessee football made the cut into his top schools. He also had Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Alabama, Texas, UCLA, LSU, Oklahoma, and Penn State on that list.
Tennessee extended Pellum a scholarship offer in January 2022. He has yet to visit the Vols.
A native of Long Beach, Calif., Pellum plays football at Millikan High School. Do you know who else is from Long Beach? Nico Iamaleava.
Pellum is pretty familiar with Iamaleava and said he has been impressed with Heupel’s success as Tennessee football head coach.
“I haven’t been to Tennessee yet but I definitely want to get out there,” Pellum told 247Sports. “I’m pretty close with Nico (Iamaleava), and he has said great things about the school and said I would love it if I visited. I like Kelsey Pope, the WR coach, and I like the offense they run. It’s very WR friendly and I’m continuing to build the relationship with them.”
The 5-foot-11 and 170-pound receiver ranks as the No. 48 prospect nationally. He is also the No. 6 wide receiver and the No. 4 prospect from California in his class.
In his junior season for Millikan, he finished with 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns on 52 catches, as well as 51 yards and two touchdowns from the backfield. He also plays corner for Millikan, but likely would become a wide receiver in college.
Greg Biggins of 247Sports projects Millikan could become a day two NFL draft pick by the conclusion of his career.
“He shows the ability to be a game breaker and a true home run hitter from anywhere on the field,” Biggins writes. “He’s a natural pass catcher with strong hands and is a smooth route runner. He’s explosive after the catch as well and should be an early impact guy in the return game. He’s a fiery competitor, which you like, but it’s also something he needs to reign in at times as his emotions can get the best of him. At his best, he’s an impact player with the talent to play immediately at the college level. He has the skill set and toughness to be big time corner in college as well but prefers the offensive side of the ball.”
