Tampa Bay rookie receiver Ted Hurst has received rave reviews since arriving at One Buc Place. Could Hurst be a hidden gem who provides a jolt to the Buccaneers’ offense in 2026?
This Rookie Receiver Could Be a Secret Weapon for the Bucs Offense
Among a Buccaneers draft class that saw multiple high-profile defenders selected, Tampa Bay quietly used the No. 84 pick in the third round to take a receiver from the Sun Belt Conference.
That pick was rookie receiver Ted Hurst, and if early returns from OTAs and minicamp are any indication, Hurst could be a lethal weapon for the Bucs offense this season.
“The smoke is real. There is fire underneath that smoke,” former Buccaneers cornerback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronde Barber said on his show this week. “He’s been impressive.”
That’s high praise from one of the franchise’s greatest players before Hurst has even taken an NFL snap.
Why Hurst Can Succeed at the NFL Level
There’s good reason to believe Hurst is poised to succeed at the NFL level.
Hurst’s measurables are impressive. He is 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds with an impressive wingspan. His broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine was 11 feet, 3 inches, the best mark at the combine. Hurst also ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, ranking in the 80th percentile among wide receivers.
“You’ve got a 6-foot-4, super-fast, incredible ball-skill guy down the field. There’s been some great players that have those assets,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said on the radio after Hurst was drafted.
Hurst received even more praise from former All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. after he was drafted.
“He has the ability and shows flashes of a faster Larry Fitzgerald. He catches the ball like him, gets in space and adjusts to the ball so well,” Smith said.
While his measurables are impressive, Hurst’s production during his time at Georgia State might outdo them. He recorded 1,965 receiving yards and 15 touchdown catches in two seasons with the Panthers. That production came after Hurst played at the Division II level with Valdosta State during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Last year, during his senior season, Hurst recorded 1,004 receiving yards, earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors. He had eight games with 70 or more receiving yards.
Hurst also decided to stay at Georgia State after posting 961 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during his junior season in 2024. He briefly entered the transfer portal and was pursued by Power Four programs before deciding to return to Georgia State for his senior season — the type of decision that is unusual in the era of NIL and the transfer portal.
Can confirm via sources that Ted Hurst plans to stay at Georgia State. He’d been one of @max_olson top portal players. A rare win in modern college football for a top G5 player to stick around. ON3 first reported Hurst decision. https://t.co/EPYKscC8ZP
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 26, 2025
Non-Power Four schools producing high-level NFL receivers is nothing new. Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp are just two All-Pro receivers in recent memory who played their college football at smaller schools — Fresno State and Eastern Washington, respectively. Hurst’s new teammate, Kameron Johnson, played at Division II Barton College before joining the Bucs.
High Expectations for Hurst in Year 1?
Hurst’s head coach, Todd Bowles, believes he will make an immediate impact during his rookie season.
“He’s a very bright guy, but every rookie’s got some learning to do, and that will progress through the preseason and probably through the regular season as well, but I do see him helping us right away,” Bowles said at Bucs minicamp last week.
Hurst’s primary role on offense will likely be at the X receiver position, a role occupied by Pro Bowl receiver and franchise legend Mike Evans for the past 12 seasons.
“First of all, with Mike [Evans], we’re never ever going to try and replace Mike, but you do try to replace size and speed, which Mike had, and we think that Ted [Hurst] has that too,” Buccaneers vice president of player personnel Mike Biehl said after the Bucs drafted Hurst.
It would be incredibly wishful thinking to expect Hurst to replace Evans’ production in his rookie year. However, the rookie receiver who slipped all the way to No. 84 overall could be a game-changer for Tampa Bay’s offense in 2026.
