The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been pretty short on good news since training camp began.
Two of the franchise’s legendary players are gone — wide receiver Mike Evans left in free agency and inside linebacker Lavonte David retired.
Two of the best players on the roster are in open, messy quarrels with ownership over money: Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea, who has requested a trade.
The head coach, Todd Bowles, as he should be, is on maybe the hottest seat in the NFL.
So, maybe, some good news?
That comes in the form of 6-foot-4, 206-pound rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst III.
Hurst was a 3rd-round pick (No. 84 overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Georgia State.
“The Bucs know how to develop receivers,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on August 4. “That’s the case with third-round rookie Ted Hurst III, who has natural speed to blow by corners. With experience and refined route running, he’ll be dangerous. And Tampa is expecting big things from Jalen McMillan, who could cut into the statistical bottom lines of Egbuka and Godwin, at least slightly. Tez Johnson can really play, but he’s at best the WR4/WR5 right now.”
Hurst had a show-stopping moment for the Buccaneers in practice on Tuesday — a leaping touchdown catch from Mayfield during red-zone drills.
“We might have one in Ted Hurst,” Bucs Wire’s EMT Ashlie wrote on their official X account.
“At some point this year, Ted Hurst is gonna be a thing,” Fantasy Football expert Matthew Berry wrote on his official X account.
Bucs Praised for ‘Biggest Steal’ in 2026 NFL Draft
The loss of Evans may have had more of an impact in the locker room than it will on the field.
Evans missed 12 regular-season games over the last 2 seasons, including a career-high 9 games in 2025 as his NFL-record streak of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons came to an end. That also meant career lows across the board with 30 receptions for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns.
To that end, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport labeled Hurst the “biggest draft steal” in 2026.
“It’s the dawn of a new age in Tampa Bay — after 11 seasons, wide receiver Mike Evans is gone,” Davenport wrote in May. “The team still has veteran Chris Godwin and second-year pro Emeka Egbuka, but the team needs a big-bodied wideout to step into Evans’ ‘X’ receiver role outside … Granted, there’s a long way to go before Hurst is an NFL starter (the jump from FCS to the NFL is a big one) and there’s an even bigger way to go before Hurst can be mentioned in the same breath as a player like Evans. But Hurst possesses a tantalizing blend of size, 4.42-second speed and catch radius. He could have a real role in Tampa’s offense as a rookie — especially with a solid summer.”
Ted Hurst Dominated Mid-Major Competition
The biggest question around Hurst is how he will fare facing consistent, high-level competition after he tormented lower-level teams at Georgia State, including career highs of 71 receptions and 1,004 yards to go with 6 touchdowns in 2025
“It’s one thing to make Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list; it’s another to be a productive ‘Freak,’ ” The Athletic’s Dan Pompei wrote. “Hurst was a productive Freak with 127 catches for 1,965 yards in his last two seasons, though he did not play against elite defenses at Georgia State. He probably won’t have the kind of quick impact that Emeka Ebuka did last year, but that’s OK because the Bucs are loaded at wide receiver. He shouldn’t be looked at as a replacement for Mike Evans, but he might be looked at as a down-the-line lineup replacement for 30-year-old Chris Godwin, depending on how long Godwin plays.”
Hurst, a Savannah, Georgia, native, spent the 1st 2 seasons of his college career at NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State before transferring to Georgia State.
At Georgia State, Hurst stepped in and became the team’s WR1 from Day 1, racking up 127 receptions for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns in 24 games over the last 2 seasons.
The NFL Scouting Combine helped Hurst solidify his draft stock after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. He also had a 36.5-inch vertical leap, and his 11-foot-3 broad jump was the best of any wide receiver at the combine.
Bucs Might Have ‘Dangerous’ Weapon in 6-foot-4, 206-Pound Rookie WR