Buccaneers Leadership Excited About WR Hurst
After losing Mike Evans to free agency, Tampa Bay turns to third-round pick Ted Hurst, a loyal Georgia State standout praised for his elite size and speed.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can’t replace Mike Evans. Evans, the leading receiver in franchise history by a wide margin, moved on after 12 seasons with the team this offseason, signing a three-year, $20 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers. But with Evans moved on, the Bucs must move forward, and they attempted to do that with their third-round pick in last month’s draft.
A lot of college football fans, even hardcore ones, didn’t know the name Ted Hurst. Hurst started his college career at Division II Valdosta State, where he played the 2022 and ‘23 seasons, then transferred to Georgia State, a small DI program. In an era where small school studs are routinely poached by the big boys, Hurst stayed at Georgia State, and became a dominant receiver.
The 6-foot-4, 206-pounder caught 127 passes for 15 touchdowns and nearly 2,000 yards over his two seasons at Georgia State, and the Bucs liked him enough to take him at pick No. 84. General manager Jason Licht and company weren’t the only fans of the move.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. , known as the “draft guru,” described Hurst as an “end zone magnet. ” In the moments following Tampa’s selection of Hurst, Booger McFarland, who was analyzing the draft for ESPN, pointed out how well he performed in the Senior Bowl this past February.