The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are already getting major praise after selecting Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Former All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith has become one of the most respected voices when it comes to evaluating wide receiver talent. So when he speaks on a prospect, people listen.
In a rare moment of giving Tampa Bay credit, Smith called Hurst his favorite sleeper in the entire draft class, and even threw out a comparison that’s going to turn heads.
Ted Hurst is my FAVORITE sleeper in this years WR class. Small school, BIG potential. I see some Larry Fitzgerald in his film 🫣 Bucs fans should be excited for this one #nfldraft #wearethekrewe pic.twitter.com/wYj2J6i2wN
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) April 25, 2026
“He has the ability, and shows flashes of a faster Larry Fitzgerald,” Smith said. “He catches the ball like him. He gets in space, knows exactly how to do it, and adjusts to the ball so well.”
That’s obviously a lofty comparison for a third-round rookie, but Smith isn’t saying Hurst is going to become Fitzgerald — just that they have a similar playstyle.
Bucs fans know Smith all too well, and not in a good way.
He made a living torching Tampa Bay during his playing days with the Panthers, and he hasn’t exactly been the Buccaneers’ biggest supporter as an analyst either. He famously said the Bucs would get “ran” out of the playoffs in 2020, only for Tampa Bay to go on and win the Super Bowl.
— Nick Sitro ✌️ (@nicksitro) January 25, 2021
So yeah, this kind of praise from a habitual Bucs hater stands out, and it makes it even more meaningful.
Steve Smith says Buccaneers got the biggest steal of the NFL Draft in Ted Hurst
According to Smith, the Buccaneers just walked away with the biggest steal in the entire draft. Many were saying the same on Day 1 after they landed Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15 overall. Suffice to say, it's been a successful draft so far for Tampa Bay.
This praise isn’t coming out of nowhere. Weeks before the draft, Smith was already connecting Hurst to Tampa Bay, calling him a perfect fit and hinting the team would love to get their hands on him.
Former Panthers WR Steve Smith predicted the Bucs’ interest in Ted Hurst. 🎯
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) April 25, 2026
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would benefit from a kid JUST. LIKE. THIS!”👀
Smith didn’t think the Bucs would get a chance to draft Hurst, assuming he’d be long gone by the time they’d pick a WR. pic.twitter.com/9McX66xjvG
“I’ll tell you, the team right now who if they could… Man, he would be the guy that would step in right now. I don’t care that they got Egbuka,” Smith said. “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would benefit from a kid just like this.”
Smith ranked Hurst as his No. 10 receiver in the class, but he ended up being the 15th wide receiver taken — which could end up looking like a steal very quickly for Tampa Bay.
If Smith is right, the Buccaneers just gave Baker Mayfield a dynamic weapon that’s going to take the NFL by storm.
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