Ted

Hurst

Hurst has gotten much attention out of Bucs rookie minicamp as a true X receiver in the offense. Robinson praised the versatility of Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, and Chris Godwin Jr., but said having a true X receiver is “an absolute threat.” Whether Hurst is a legitimate threat as a deep target or is simply running a go-route as a “sacrificial X”, Robinson seems to like having the option of a tall receiver to stretch the defense. Hurst is still outside the top-three on the pass-catching pecking order in Tampa Bay, but could certainly be worth a dart throw with boom-or-bust upside running outside deep routes as an X receiver.

Per Stroud, Hurst earned more targets and caught more passes than any other Buccaneer over the last two days of practice. Hurst, 21, has a chance to compete for the Buccaneers’ X-receiver role this summer. He has the frame (6'4/206) and speed (4.42-second 40) to do it. With WRs Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson and Jalen McMillan already in-house, the Bucs can field an effective three-receiver set this year, if Hurst is not ready to contribute. Buccaneers assistant general manager Rob McCartney made clear that the team is “not expecting for him to just come in and just take over and be a big part of our offense,” but at the same time, “there’s nothing that says he can’t if he comes in and proves himself.” Should he impress coaches in training camp this spring and summer, he could work his way into a fantasy-relevant role. Keep an eye on him.

Given the Buccaneers’ crowded wide receiver corps, Hurst could have a tough time getting on the field this season. Hurst was an efficient player in his third and final college season, averaging 2.42 yards per route run and the Buccaneers have done well drafting wide receivers in recent seasons. He is an intriguing pick in dynasty rookie drafts. Reports from earlier today said Hurst had signed his rookie contract, but Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud later clarified that Hurst and the team had only agreed to terms. Hurst is reportedly en route to the team’s facility to finalize the deal.

Hurst (6’4/206) was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school. He cut his teeth at Valdosta State for two years before joining Georgia State via the transfer portal. Hurst was purely a burner in his first season, averaging 17.2 yards per catch with an identical average target depth. He parlayed this role into a team-high 961 yards and nine scores. After realizing what they had in Hurst, his coaches made the passing attack revolve around him in 2025. Hurst’s aDOT dropped to a more normal 12.6 and he pushed his receiving total to 1,004 yards on 71 grabs. Hurst is a physical receiver at the catch point and his 4.42 40-yard dash shows up on tape, but the jump from Sun Belt competition to the NFL will be a true test of his abilities. He will likely begin his career as a backup Z receiver, though a starting role down the road should be the expectation.