Bucs Praised for NFL’s ‘Biggest Draft Steal’ With 1,000-Yard WR

“It’s the dawn of a new age in Tampa Bay — after 11 seasons, wide receiver Mike Evans is gone,” Davenport wrote. “The team still has veteran Chris Godwin and second-year pro Emeka Egbuka, but the team needs a big-bodied wideout to step into Evans’ ‘X’ receiver role outside … Granted, there’s a long way to go before Hurst is an NFL starter (the jump from FCS to the NFL is a big one) and there’s an even bigger way to go before Hurst can be mentioned in the same breath as a player like Evans. But Hurst possesses a tantalizing blend of size, 4.42-second speed and catch radius. He could have a real role in Tampa’s offense as a rookie — especially with a solid summer.”

The Buccaneers will almost certainly need Hurst to make plays from the start. After losing Evans to the 49ers in free agency, they didn’t sign a wide receiver in free agency, and Hurst was the only wide receiver they drafted in 2026.

Ted Hurst Dominated Mid-Major Competition

The biggest question around Hurst is how he will fare facing consistent, high-level competition after he tormented lower-level teams at Georgia State, including career highs of 71 receptions and 1,004 yards to go with 6 touchdowns in 2025

“It’s one thing to make Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list; it’s another to be a productive ‘Freak,’ ” The Athletic’s Dan Pompei wrote. “Hurst was a productive Freak with 127 catches for 1,965 yards in his last two seasons, though he did not play against elite defenses at Georgia State. He probably won’t have the kind of quick impact that Emeka Ebuka did last year, but that’s OK because the Bucs are loaded at wide receiver. He shouldn’t be looked at as a replacement for Mike Evans, but he might be looked at as a down-the-line lineup replacement for 30-year-old Chris Godwin, depending on how long Godwin plays.”

Hurst Played 1st 2 Seasons at NCAA Division II School

Hurst, a Savannah, Georgia, native, spent the 1st 2 seasons of his college career at NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State before transferring to Georgia State.

At Georgia State, Hurst stepped in and became the team’s WR1 from Day 1, racking up 127 receptions for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns in 24 games over the last 2 seasons.

The NFL scouting combine helped Hurst solidify his draft stock after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds to go with a 36.5-inch vertical leap. His 11-foot, 3-inch broad jump was the best of any wide receiver at the combine.

“NFL Draft analysts agree with the round three selection of Hurst based on his pre-draft evaluation,” Heavy’s Chris Lewis wrote on April 24. “PFF ranked him as the 97th best prospect in the draft. He received an 82.1 receiving grade. While he had a poor drop rate of 9%, he did well against man coverage (71.7 grade) and had a great contested catch rate of 59.3%.”