Biletnikoff Award Winner Opts Out of Orange Bowl vs. Clemson

First, Cedric Tillman decided to opt out of the Orange Bowl.

Now, an even more threatening playmaker is out. Biletnikoff Award winner and Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt announced he's entering the NFL draft and will miss the Dec. 30 bowl game against Clemson.

This is good news for the Tigers, who don't have to defend a receiver that very few teams stopped all year. Hyatt took home the honor given to the nation's best receiver after he put up 1,267 receiving yards, fourth-most nationally, and 15 touchdowns (tied for the most in the country) on 67 receptions.

So thankful for my @Vol_Football teammates, coaches and all of Vol Nation. It’s been an amazing ride. After careful consideration, I have decided to begin preparation for the 2023 NFL Draft. #VFL 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Y42GMG0hoY
— Jalin Hyatt (@jalinhyatt) December 14, 2022

Hyatt, an Irmo S.C., native, went over 100 receiving yards in five of the 12 games he played and put up 207 yards and five touchdowns on Alabama in Knoxville. The Vols will sorely miss the ultimate field-stretcher, leaving Clemson's defense which has struggled against the pass at times this season with a lot less to worry about for this game.

The Vols' next-leading receiver is Bru McCoy, who has 619 yards and three touchdowns on 48 catches.

Tennessee comes into the Orange Bowl with the No. 1 scoring offense in college football, but the Vols will be without arguably the three best players on the team. QB Hendon Hooker suffered a season-ending knee injury against South Carolina on Nov. 19.

The Tigers will be without defensive end Myles Murphy, who opted out of the bowl game and will turn pro, and linebacker Trenton Simpson, who is healing from an ankle injury and is also entering the draft. But Clemson's secondary should be intact for this game.

Clemson is a 6 .5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Kickoff for the Orange Bowl is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Want to join in on the discussion? 100% FREE! Interact with fellow Tiger fans and hear directly from publisher Zach Lentz, deputy editor Brad Senkiw, recruiting analyst Jason Priester and staff writer Will Vandervort on any subject. Click here to become a member of the ALL CLEMSON message board community today!

Get your Tiger tickets from SI Tickets HERE

Do us a HUGE favor and like, subscribe and follow us on social media:
►LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allclemson
►SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/AllClemson
►FOLLOW All Clemson on Twitter:https://twitter.com/All_Clemson