Ted Hurst arrived in Tampa Bay with the kind of buzz that usually follows a big-name prospect, even though he came from Georgia State. The Buccaneers took him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and plenty of fans immediately started picturing a small-school receiver with a huge athletic profile turning into the next overlooked steal.
That excitement never really cooled off during offseason practices. In fact, Hurst drew more total hype than any other player on the field, including rookie Rueben Bain Jr., who came in with first-round pedigree.
Once training camp opened and Emeka Egbuka went down as the No. 2 wide receiver, the conversation around Hurst only got louder. Some are already looking at him as a dark horse fantasy football sleeper.
It’s easy to see why Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was drawn to him. Licht has long shown a willingness to bet on players with elite athletic traits, and Hurst fits that mold with the kind of size, speed and testing profile that jumps off the page. But what’s making Hurst stand out now goes well beyond raw tools.
What he has shown this preseason, including in the Week 1 opener against the New York Jets when he caught two passes, is a receiver who already knows how to play the position. His hands have been a real strength, and he’s been steady at the catch point.
For a rookie from a smaller program, that matters. Hurst has shown that he understands different kinds of catches - letting the ball drop softly into his hands while fading away, or going after it aggressively and winning against the defensive back. He looks comfortable handling tough grabs in traffic and finishing plays while going to the ground.
That’s why there’s real belief that he can be ready for a significant role right away. Hurst has shown enough intelligence and composure, both as a route runner and when the ball is in the air, to suggest he can become one of the top three wide receivers for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense in the 2026 NFL season.
Being big and fast gets you noticed. Turning those traits into production is the harder part. So far, Hurst looks like he can do both.
In Other News...
Bucs Helped Create A Wild Harrison Butker Moment That Wont Count
The preseason can produce some strange footnotes, and the Buccaneers found themselves part of one Sunday when Harrison Butker drilled a 69-yard field goal against Tampa Bay. The kick would have topped the NFLs official mark, but preseason games do not count in the record books, leaving the Chiefs standout with a booming reminder of what he can do and the Bucs with an unusual line on the game receipt.
Butker was sharp enough overall to give the moment even more weight, adding two other long field goals while missing one try. His 69-yarder still lands as one of the longest made in any actual football game, tied for second all-time, even if it will not live alongside the leagues official records. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Fringe Roster Battle Got A Lot More Intense Vs Chiefs
The first half against the Chiefs gave the Buccaneers a clearer look at the edges of their roster, because the starters were out there only two drives before the backups and fringe contenders took over. For a team still sorting out depth across the board, the opening preseason minutes became less about the headline names and more about which young players could make a case when the real evaluation began.
Yaya Diaby flashed, and Fordham, David Walker and Nelson all had moments that helped their standing, while Hurst and Foerner were among the players whose mistakes showed how thin the margin can be in games like this. In a contest built around job interviews more than final scores, those kinds of snaps can matter a lot, and the second half should tell Tampa Bay even more about who is separating from the pack. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Preseason Game Sparked An NFL Take Fans Will Hate
Harrison Butkers latest showcase came in a preseason game against the Buccaneers, where the Chiefs kicker launched a 69-yard field goal that would have shattered the NFLs official regular-season mark. It did not count in the record book because of the setting, but it was still the kind of kick that reminds everyone how far the position has evolved and how little room there is for error when a specialist can turn a casual-looking snap into a near midfield celebration.
The reaction afterward was almost as sharp as the kick itself, with NFL analyst Joe Schad publicly floating the idea that the league competition committee should consider narrowing the goal posts. For Tampa Bay, it was the sort of offseason headline that lands with extra sting because it came against their own defense and turned a routine preseason snap into a broader debate about where kicking is headed next. [Read more 🡒]