The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and there are high expectations for him to develop into a dominant pass catcher.
Hurst has drawn rave reviews from the organization throughout the offseason, and he continued to build momentum on the first day of training camp.
Ted Hurst stands out on first day of Buccaneers training camp
Logan Robinson of BucsGameday was on site for Tampa Bay’s opening training camp practice, and took note of Hurst’s impressive debut.
Robinson wrote, “Ted Hurst caught a touchdown in his first ever training camp practice. It was a diving grab to cross into the endzone. Hurst also came down with a catch over the middle of the field for a 15+ yard gain. Nice start for the rookie WR out of Georgia State.”
Hurst recording both a touchdown catch and another explosive gain is exactly what made him such a dangerous playmaker in college and why Tampa Bay targeted him during the draft process.
Bucs new WR Ted Hurst:
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) April 25, 2026
🏴☠️ Led FBS with 34 catches of 20+ yards over the past two seasons
🏴☠️ 70.9% of receptions resulted in either a first down or touchdown
🏴☠️ Explosive downfield threat with 127 catches, 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns over last 2 seasons
HOME RUN PICK! pic.twitter.com/oQcXnaQe6x
During his time at Georgia State, 70.9% of Hurst’s receptions went for either first downs or touchdowns. He led the FBS with 34 catches of 20-plus yards over his final two collegiate seasons.
Hurst is a big play waiting to happen, and that’s exactly what the Bucs offense needs. With Mike Evans departing in free agency to join the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay lacks a true X receiver capable of creating explosive plays downfield and in the red zone.
Hurst has the skill set to solve that problem, and if he can continue to separate himself throughout training camp and the preseason, he could carve out a significant role in Tampa Bay’s offense as a rookie.
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