Flashed this morning.
Joe thinks the Bucs are bringing along rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst perfectly.
Hurst, a third-round pick, comes by way of Georgia State in the Fun Belt. Georgia State isn’t much of a program. They’ve had one winning season since 2018. And that’s despite playing in Atlanta in the heart of football country.
An average coach ought to be able to roll out of bed and land a halfway decent player, you’d think, being based in Atlanta.
So Joe understands if some fans might be hesitant or skeptical to climb on the Hurst bandwagon right away given his college background.
Hurst is 6-4, runs a 4.4 40-yard dash and has a wingspan of six-feet, eight inches. Physically, he is a rare project.
The Bucs just lost a 6-4 receiver in free agency, the best receiver in franchise history and a sure-fire Hall of Fame member someday, Mike Evans.
So Joe could also understand why folks might easily see Hurst being Mike Evans II. And that may be one reason why the Bucs are bringing him along slowly, carefully.
Playing in the Fun Belt isn’t quite the Big Ten or the SEC. And the competition level sure as hell isn’t NFL. Maybe NFL practice squad level at best.
Hurst and the Bucs are lucky. The Bucs have a loaded wide receiver room. Their starting receivers are already set.
In the underwear football practices Joe has seen that have been open to the media (Joe hadn’t missed one), Joe’s only seen Hurst goof up once. He doesn’t get a lot of passes sent his way. Again, the Bucs are easing Hurst into the NFL.
So far Hurst has been solid. Not spectacular, but solid. Catches just about everything. He’s not making an impact splash plays like Emeka Egbuka did last year when he was a rookie, practicing above the rim.
Baker Mayfield lobbed praise Hurst’s way this week when he said Hurst has “exceptional hands.” Egbuka today added Hurst is “lightning in a bottle.”
Again, so far (in underwear football) Hurst has been solid. But today, he flashed spectacular.
Hurst flew down the right sideline early in practice. Joe didn’t catch who was defending Hurst but he had good position on Hurst.
Jake Browning lofted the ball deep. It came in looking like it might be broken up, or worse, picked. And then, Hurst rose up. Literally.
Joe doesn’t want to type Hurst “Moss’ed” the defender. Nope. He Evans’ed him. Hurst looked just like Evans skying high and cherry-picking the ball right out of the sky. Just plucked it off the tree.
There was one slight problem. The ball sailed too far to the right and Hurst landed out of bounds.
But damn, what a physical play that was for Hurst to go up and get the ball and steal it from the defender. Snatched it right off the tree.
Fortunately, the Bucs don’t need Hurst on the field. Yet. So Hurst really doesn’t have any pressure to start. There’s no rush or remote panic in getting Hurst ready. The Bucs can bring him along at his own pace.
KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles predicted Hurst would help the Bucs “immediately.” Joe is going to be more conservative. Hurst certainly will help the Bucs, but Joe is thinking later in the season when he gets in the swing of things, gets comfortable and adjusts to NFL speed and physicality.
While it is unfair and irresponsible to compare Hurst to Evans, especially on one play in underwear football, Hurst gave Joe a flashback to a young Evans.
The pads haven’t come on yet, but the early report card for Hurst seems to be very promising.
Ted Hurst in a receiver drill. pic.twitter.com/qkTrt9BKaU
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) June 16, 2026