One of SC’s top football prospects leaving Midlands to play for IMG Academy
Devin Hyatt is going from one powerhouse high school football program to another.
The junior receiver announced Monday that he is leaving Dutch Fork High School, winners of five straight S.C. Class 5A championships, to head to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. In his Twitter post, Hyatt thanked his coaches at Dutch Fork for making him into the player he has become. He also had a small message for his old teammates at Dutch Fork and new ones at IMG Academy.
“To all my dawgs at Dutch Fork go get that 6th ring!! And to my new IMG teammates, lets go win another Natty!!” Hyatt wrote.
Hyatt told The State leaving Dutch Fork was a tough decision but was one he and his family couldn’t pass up. He will move to Florida on July 14.
“Leaving one of the top schools, academically and athletically, was not an easy choice. I’ve grown up in Dutch Fork’s system and have been lucky to be surrounded by great teammates and coaches,” Hyatt said. “I have been given an amazing opportunity to continue my growth at IMG to take advantage of their amazing academic and training facilities, top daily competition along side of some of the best national elite athletes, college like structure and training plans, and a national game schedule that will challenge me at an elite level.
“My family and I could not pass up on this opportunity.”
Hyatt is the latest player from South Carolina to transfer to IMG, joining Hartsville’s Demonte Capehart and Wilson’s Xavier Thomas, who both are now playing at Clemson. He won’t be making the move alone as father Jamie and mother Enevelyn will be moving down to Florida with him.
IMG Academy finished No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 last season and is No. 2 in this year’s preseason poll. The Ascenders finished in the top 10 six straight seasons.
Former New York Giants linebacker Pepper Johnson was just named head coach for MG Academy’s national team. The school fields three teams, including the national squad which travels across the country and features high-level college prospects.. Hyatt will play for IMG’s National team.
IMG Academy is a private boarding school that builds all-star quality teams in all sports and has a reputation of many of its student-athletes landing college scholarships.
IMG Academy’s National team plays a top-flight schedule against teams throughout the country and is regularly on national TV. IMG and Dutch Fork were scheduled to play last season at Cam Newton Classic in Georgia, but it was canceled because of COVID-19.
Hyatt is one of the state’s top prospects for the Class of 2023. 247Sports Composite ranks him as a four-star and No. 2 prospect in South Carolina, the 17th-best receiver overall. He has offers from Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, Oregon and West Virginia among others. Hyatt’s older brother, Jalin, is a starting receiver for Tennessee.
Hyatt has taken unofficial visits to South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia this summer. Last season, Hyatt caught 13 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown for the Silver Foxes. He broke his collarbone in the state championship game against T.L. Hanna after making a 57-yard catch in the first half but is back to full strength after surgery.
Hyatt’s departure still leaves Dutch Fork with a talented receiving corp, which includes Antonio Williams and Nick Sowell. Williams is the No. 5 prospect in the state for the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite, and has several Division I offers. Sowell also is getting plenty of college attention.
This story was originally published June 28, 2021 at 6:18 PM.
