Ted Hurst III is finding out fast that the NFL asks for a different kind of edge.
Two weeks into Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, the rookie wideout has been watching how his teammates go about their business and taking notes on the level of purpose that shows up every day. That detail-oriented approach has stood out to him as he tries to carve out his place.
"I'm just trying to be a pro," Hurst said after last Sunday's camp practice. "And learn my route, learn my ways to get ready for each and every day. Because like I said, these guys come and attack practice, and they're intentional every day."
That mindset matters for a receiver group preparing to move forward without Mike Evans. The franchise legend wrapped up his 12-year run with Tampa Bay by signing a three-year, $60 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers, leaving behind a standard that has shaped how people view the Bucs' passing game.
Questions about who can help fill that space are already part of the conversation. Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan are set to lead the group, and Hurst, a third-round pick, is not being asked to solve everything. But he has flashed enough to get people talking.
Some of those flashes have looked a lot like the kind of plays Evans used to make. Last Sunday's practice brought one of the better examples when Hurst hauled in a Baker Mayfield pass over starting cornerback Jacob Parrish. Mayfield put the ball only where the rookie, with his size advantage, could reach it.
That is the sort of moment that has fueled the buzz around him. Pewter Report has called the 22-year-old "Mike-like," a big label for a young receiver, but one that has become harder to ignore because of what he has shown in camp.
Hurst has also worked his way into first-team reps, helped along by the fact that Jalen McMillan is day-to-day with minor knee and calf injuries. For a rookie trying to make his mark, those opportunities matter.
The 6-foot-3 receiver is not arriving without a track record. At Georgia State, he put up 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Panthers. He posted a career-high nine touchdowns in 2024 and topped 1,000 yards last season.
He may be entering the league as a third or fourth receiver, but the Buccaneers' depth also means he can be brought along in that role while other corners focus on Egbuka or Godwin. Nahshon Wright is the Jets starter, and he finished the season tied for second in interceptions with five.
For now, Hurst keeps coming back to the same point: show up with intent, learn the job, and keep stacking good days. The production is getting attention, but the habits are what he is trying to build.
In Other News...
Bucs Fans Cant Ignore Ted Hursts Early Mike Evans Buzz
With Mike Evans no longer in the receiver picture, the Buccaneers spent a third-round pick on Ted Hurst to help fill the void, and early camp has only added to the intrigue. The rookie has already turned heads with the kind of physical, above-the-rim play that tends to stand out in Tampa Bay, drawing notice from both the media and teammates as he works into a crowded room of returning pass catchers.
For a team that has leaned on Evans for years, the appeal is obvious: Hurst looks like a receiver who can win in traffic and give the offense another contested-catch threat. Todd Bowles has been complimentary about the rookie's skill set, and the Bucs still plan to bring him along carefully rather than ask him to carry the load right away, but the early buzz has been loud enough to make this one of the more interesting camp developments on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Future Up Front Is Suddenly A Real Vita Vea Question
The Buccaneers long-term picture up front is getting more interesting by the day, and it starts with the possibility that they may eventually have to plan around Vita Veas exit as much as his presence. Athlon Sports draft analyst Luke Easterling recently projected Tampa Bay to take Oregon defensive lineman AMauri Washington at No. 24 overall in a 2027 mock draft, a move that speaks less to immediate need than to how the team could be thinking about the future of its interior line.
Vea is 31 and has requested a trade, though the Bucs are not expected to act on that request right away. Still, the idea of targeting a replacement years in advance says plenty about how important his role remains and how tricky it can be to maintain that kind of anchor in the middle of a defense. Even if Tampa Bay keeps Vea in place for now, the eventual succession plan is already starting to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers O-Line Could Be What Finally Unlocks This Offense
After a 2025 season in which injuries kept the offensive line from ever really settling in, the Buccaneers head into 2026 with a chance to make continuity a strength instead of a question. Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke remain central to that effort, giving Tampa Bay a foundation to build around as the group tries to hold together long enough to find a rhythm in a new offensive system.
The bigger issue now is whether the line can stay healthy and let the younger pieces develop without the kind of shuffling that usually slows everything down. If that happens, the Buccaneers could finally get a clearer read on what this offense looks like when the front five is working in sync, rather than patching holes on the fly. [Read more 🡒]