The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the 2026 NFL Draft knowing that they needed to make some major changes on the defensive side of the ball, and they did exactly that. Tampa pretty much covered all of their bases, with Jason Licht prioritizing Todd Bowles's ailing defense by landing ace edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. in the first, as well as Josiah Trotter at another huge need, inside linebacker, in the second.
Then, Licht loaded up in the fourth and fifth with a potential Day 1 starter at corner in Keionte Scott of the Miami Hurricanes, while landing Clemson defensive tackle Damonte Capehart to spell Vita Vea some rest on the inside.
But sandwiched amongst all those picks was one big player on the offensive side of the ball, Georgia State product Ted Hurst. Even after losing team legend Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers, a likely NFC playoff rival in 2026, the Bucs didn't need to draft a wide receiver in the first three rounds with a deep group of Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson.
Buccaneers couldn't pass up on Ted Hurst's upside
The thing is, Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are always after talents, and if they can find a great athlete they believe in, they will go for the best player available in those cases. And as the Egbuka picked showed everyone last year, they are willing to do that in any round and have a special inkling for receivers, too, looking at the third round McMillan pick the year before Egbuka came in, too.
Ted Hurst isn't a household name by any means, but it's these small school guys who end up making it big in the NFL later on in a lot of cases. Calling someone the next Jerry Rice or Antonio Brown doesn't even have to be the case either, because there are so many unheralded receivers from smaller schools who went on to be big time players in the NFL.
A highly promising pass catcher, Hurst earns high marks for his speed and athleticism, He is a downfield burner who brings another dimension to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense, and Baker Mayfield can really take advantage of him on those gamble throws for big plays down the field, with both he and Johnson serving as dynamic vertical threats to open up big plays in the intermediate regions for Egbuka and Godwin to shine.
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