The Recruiting Guy

Daulton Hyatt overcomes challenges to be SEC QB commitment

Attalla (Ala.) Etowah class of 2017 quarterback Daulton Hyatt was offered by Arkansas on Saturday, March 5, 2016.
Attalla (Ala.) Etowah class of 2017 quarterback Daulton Hyatt was offered by Arkansas on Saturday, March 5, 2016.

Arkansas quarterback commitment Daulton Hyatt has flourished despite having four different coordinators in high school.

Hyatt, 6-4, 182, 4.62 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Attalla (Ala.) Etowah played at nearby Arab High School as a junior and threw for 1,100 yards for a 1-9 team that lost 23 seniors from the year before.

As a sophomore, he completed 163 of 256 passes for 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing 121 times for 688 yards and 5 touchdowns.

“He’s never been able to sit in a whole system for more than a year,” Etowah offensive coordinator B.J. Brooks said.

Brooks said Etowah was thrilled to get Hyatt, who’s rated the No. 9 pocket-passer and No. 152 overall prospect in the nation by ESPN.

"He was huge for our program to get him,” Brooks said. “He’s been a great asset and a good kid. As soon as he moved in here, everybody accepted him. He was getting with the receivers, and they were coming in and throwing three days a week before school. He worked in the gym, worked on routes. He’s a really hard worker.”

Hyatt has completed 27 of 40 passes for 517 yards and 5 touchdowns along with 1 interception. He’s also rushed 15 times for 132 yards and a touchdown for the 2-1 Blue Devils.

Brooks believes Hyatt’s speed is similar to a former Hog.

“As far as having enough wheels to make a play, I think as far as escapability, I would say he’s pretty close to Brandon Allen,” Brooks said.

The transition to a more complicated offense has gone smoothly.

“We’re a very, very multiple team,” Brooks said. “We come out in a lot of different formations, a lot of different shifts. Before every play, he’ll look at me and check with me whether we want to run the play for not and he has to communicate it.”

Because of his leadership skills, Hyatt has earned the respect of the team, said Brooks.

“He’s about as tough as they come,” Brooks said. “He loves the game. He wants to get so much better and is eager to get better. They guys really respect him. He’s a good leader. That’s the one thing I’m impressed with the most is how he’s gotten everybody’s attention, and they’ve accepted him as their leader and their quarterback.”

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