Sky Is The Limit For Ted Hurst
August 31st, 2026
Big upside for big receiver.
Joe loves the upside of Bucs rookie receiver Ted Hurst.
The Bucs did a good job hiding Hurst during the worthless preseason games. That was, in part, because they didn’t want him to get nicked up with so many other receivers being nicked up.
Also, Joe is sure the Bucs didn’t want to share too much tape for the Bengals and the Browns to study. Those are the Bucs’ first two regular-season opponents.
So for many Bucs fans who couldn’t go to practices this summer, Hurst is still pretty much a mystery. What’s he like?
Well, when you factor in his measurables, he’s 6-4 and runs a 4.42, you think a blazing-fast Mike Evans.
He could be that guy, but not quite yet. The Bucs are scared to compare him to Evans, ESPN’s Jenna Laine points out.
The Bucs have been careful about comparing him to future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, but Hurst possesses similar attributes in that he’s 6-foot-4 and plays above the rim. …
For Joe, “playing above the rim” means a guy is super athletic and uses his physical attributes to make plays that other receivers cannot. Joe has seen Hurst do Mike Evans things but not too often.
Weirdly, Hurst reminds Joe a lot more of Chris Godwin than Evans, though Hurst doesn’t look anything like Godwin. Yeah, that doesn’t make sense, but allow Joe to explain:
Godwin makes contested catches look so easy, so routine. He’s not faze if a guy is draped all over him. That’s Hurst!
Time after time after time Joe saw Hurst making catches with corners on him and he doesn’t blink an eye. Completion, first down!
Joe is guessing folks heard the famous Joel Buchsbaum saying, “Looks like Tarzan; plays like Jane?” Well, Hurst looks like Evans; plays like Godwin. (No, Joe is not calling maybe the second-best Bucs receiver in franchise history a woman! Fun barroom argument: Who is/was better, Vincent Jackson or Godwin?)
Joe is stoked because Joe thinks Hurst’s upside could be elite. Right now he’s just a really, really, really solid receiver. In practice.
August 31st, 2026 at 7:20 am
Bucs need him to grow up quickly if they are to contend.
August 31st, 2026 at 7:46 am
I think everyone is stoked about Hurst . He definitely appears to be a real find. Definitely credit the scouting staff on this one.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:00 am
Tod why, because the other 4 wr suck? They need the 3 rookie defenders to grow up quickly.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:00 am
Shepard was our second leading receiver last year. JMac, then Emeka and Tez, and now Hurst these last 3 years in the draft.
That is 4 highly productive receivers in 3 drafts. It hasn’t got a thing to do with the QB throwing them the ball. Who’d think such a thing?
August 31st, 2026 at 8:01 am
Need to get a better picture of Hurst than this one.
He looks like a deer in the headlights in that one. IJS.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:05 am
Hurst is the only one we have who can be an X
August 31st, 2026 at 8:18 am
Not sold on him yet. He seems to let the DBs get to him. Let’s see how he does against real competition and DBs playing hands games with him. Still think the Bucs should have brought Shep back as an insurance policy as I don’t trust any rookie and possible injuries.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:22 am
Who do we take out for him to play? Macmillan? That’s the puzzling part…
August 31st, 2026 at 8:24 am
I think we should find a way to play hurst and Macmillan against heavy man-covering teams and play Godwin and Egbuka more against zone teams. Macmillan is a known man beater and so is Hurst.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:28 am
Joe(s) —
Vincent Jackson was the bomb. And he was on the downside of his career, losing speed and ability as seasons went on, until his brain gave out and he made the lone flight west, as will we all.
Un(der)recognized is how the Jackson contract was the first, and a very important, Licht coup. He came for money, of course, but showed all the traits of a Buccaneer Man. He was productive. He mentored others and he even helped the young Mike Evans along.
As his athleticism and play started to decline a number of people, including JoeBucs fans, called for him to be cut. Salary cap and all that. As if his contract was holding the team back from SB contention. But Licht would not hear of it and paid out the full contract. Have always thought that act gave the Bucs and their GM street cred with the agents — an important mark in getting a ghastly team to rise up.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:53 am
Joe says “Time after time after time Joe saw Hurst making catches with corners on him and he doesn’t blink an eye. Completion, first down!”
No offense to the Defense, but receivers tend to feast on the Bucs DBs. Just in case nobody has noticed.
I think Hurst was a good pick that has a chance to be very good. But let’s wait until he is up against some of the top corners in the league.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:57 am
He’s done exactly nothing to this point outside of practice TDs vs the soft as butter Swiss cheese Bowles scheme.
Every wide receiver looks like Jerry Rice vs our pass defense.
And scrub QBs look like Marino in his prime.
Hurst is just a guy until proven otherwise. All hype.
Under Todd, hype is all we ever get. Without the results.
August 31st, 2026 at 8:58 am
Hurst is a #1. Johnson is a #1. Godwin is a #1. We have a surfeit of receivers.
And by the way, Mark Carrier may be the second best WR in team history. Played on some bad teams though so it is hard to tell.
August 31st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Good stuff Joe. I am trying not to worry about any Evans comps but to be mentioned as a dude who fights for the contested ones is good news.
Love the question about Vincent Jackson. To me Jackson gets the nod slightly because for two years everyone knew the ball was going to him and they still couldn’t stop him.
Go Bucs!
August 31st, 2026 at 9:46 am
If Ted Hurst plays as well as all the hype of his Mike Evans comparisons than the Bucs got a steal in the draft. Having the look of an Evans is not the same as an Mike Evans. Baker had a strong bond with Evans. Can he build a strong bond with Hurst? That’s the million dollar question. If he can get better with each game played than the loss of Evans to the 49ers may turn out to be a blessing for the Bucs.
August 31st, 2026 at 10:15 am
A blazing fast Mike Evans=Ted Hurst, funny Joe! maybe and thats what this time of year is all about, optimsm and unrealistic expectations.
August 31st, 2026 at 10:33 am
im not sold on his mental makeup yet . time will tell . i get the sense he is no godwin in that respect
August 31st, 2026 at 10:52 am
All we saw in a small portion was Ted in preseason games, and it was MEH at best. Sure hope he can look half as good as stated on the is blog by the JBF “All powerful OZ” the duo known as “THE JOES” Just do not want to see TOTO pulling a curtain back and Hurst just ends up like others in the past.
Hopefully the preseason does not mean much as a predictor of the season, they did not look great to say the least. So many times over the years, how they were in preseason was mirrored in the regular season. I sure hope it is not that way this year. This year they 2-1 with a FA Undrafted QB playing against “Red velvet lounge singers and insurance salesman” does not help when I saw a first team offense with Bake look like poop.
GO BUCS!!!
August 31st, 2026 at 11:02 am
Good question! My take:
Vincent Jackson was a true WR1 during the prime of his career. He had the speed and physical build to dominate. In 7 of his first 8 seasons he averaged over 17 yards a catch. It didn’t matter who else was lined up with him, only the best NFL corners could shut him down.
I think Godwin is an excellent WR2 who benefits from a little help. He’s great at short and medium range but mostly isn’t a guy that’s a threat to score from anywhere on the field like Evans, Jackson or Antonio Brown were. That being said he’s the best possession WR the Bucs have ever had.