It's Not Fair, But There's a Hall of Fame Comparison for Bucs Rookie Ted Hurst

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added another dynamic weapon to their passing game this offseason, spending their third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst.

The Bucs have had plenty of success drafting wide receivers in recent years (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson), while building one of the league's deepest groups at the position.

Despite coming from a smaller college program, Hurst has all the physical tools to make a massive impact for the Tampa Bay offense. He showed off his athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine, and proved he can hang with top competition when he impressed during Senior Bowl week.

The Bucs have high hopes for Hurst, and it's easy to see why.

Ted Hurst Fills a Big Need in the Bucs' WR Room

One of the biggest questions facing the Bucs this year will be how to replace one of the best players in franchise history, as Mike Evans will be playing elsewhere after spending the first 11 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Bucs. While the team still has plenty of talent, experience and production at the position, Evans' departure leaves the offense without the size and physicality that Evans brought to the table.

Hurst obviously doesn't bring the same rare combination of size, athleticism and strength that made Evans nearly uncoverable throughout his time in Tampa (there aren't many 6-5, 230-pound receivers with 4.5 speed), but he's big enough and athletic enough to elevate the rest of the room with complementary traits. He won't have the exact same impact Evans did on opposing defenses, but his presence will give them tools they wouldn't have otherwise had with Evans not in the mix.

Ted Hurst Compares Favorably to Terrell Owens

I need to make this clear: Nobody should ever equate a rookie with a Hall of Famer. That's not what I'm doing here. It's highly unlikely Hurst will end up with a gold jacket, as it is for every player who comes into the league. But if we're isolating their profiles as predraft prospects, it's hard to ignore the similarities. Both have similar size profiles, with Hurst actually having better timed speed during predraft workouts.

Hurst was a late third-round pick (No. 84 overall) from a small-school program, while Owens was taken in the same range in the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, who took him with the 89th overall selection out of Chattanooga. Both players entered the league with impressive physical traits and intriguing upside, while needing to refine their technique and route-running ability.

Terrell Owens Also Replaced a Hall of Famer

Owens flashed high-end potential as a rookie in 1996, but he was thrust into a full-time starting role the following season after a Week 1 knee injury (in a blowout loss to the Bucs) sidelined Jerry Rice for the rest of the year. Rice would return the following year for three more seasons in San Francisco, but that didn't keep Owens from developing into one of the league's most dangerous pass-catchers.

It's Evans who will be playing in the "other" Bay Area this fall as a member of the 49ers, while the Bucs rely on the experience and leadership of Godwin, and the playmaking ability of Egbuka, McMillan and Johnson to help fill the void in the passing game. With time, Hurst has all the traits to eventually develop into an impact player in relief of a franchise legend, much like Owens did at the beginning of his career.

Patience Could Pay Off for Ted Hurst and the Bucs Offense

The physical abilities are obvious with Hurst, and his unique skill set should get him on the field plenty as a rookie, even with such a deep and experience group of receivers in Tampa Bay. But just like Owens, the true return on the Bucs' investment could come a few years down the road, when the benefit of learning from the talent and experience around him could eventually turn him into a star.

Godwin's toughness, versatility, and intangible qualities will be a valuable example for Hurst's early development, as will the route-running ability and polish of Egbuka and McMillan. Eventually, the Bucs could have something special on their hands with Hurst, especially if they get high-level quarterback play from Baker Mayfield along the way.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 4:01 AM.