SAD DEPARTURE: Tennessee Volunteers agree to deal with quarterback, potentially bringing an end to the “”Nico Iamaleava era.

Former Tennessee football receiver Jalin Hyatt on Wednesday shed light on his decision to enter the 2023 NFL Draft — a choice, he said, that came after numerous NIL discussions among him, his agent and the Vols.

Hyatt, who is in Las Vegas for the 2024 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, spoke about his decision with Outkick.com’s “Hot Mic w/ Hutton & Withrow” podcast. Hyatt’s comments come a week after the NCAA launched an investigation on Tennessee for potential NIL benefit violations for several sports, including football and quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

“It was one of those things (where I was) talking to my agent, obviously we had a good feeling of myself being drafted,” Hyatt told hosts Chad Withrow and Jonathan Hutton. “When you get drafted, you have to look at things. If you get drafted, say second, third or fourth round or whatever it is, you know your slot and what you are making. And that is what we were kind of doing with the University of Tennessee.”