A tentacle of the Las Vegas Raiders likely selecting a certain young quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft is surrounding him with sufficient weapons. A team can truly never have too many good pass-catchers, and the Raiders' current wide receiver room is in flux with too many question marks.
Georgia State's Ted Hurst is an intriguing smaller-school prospect who has been largely unheralded during the pre-draft process but is seeing his stock rise as the event nears. Hurst could fill numerous roles in an NFL offense and passing game, so let's dive into the ins and outs of him as a prospect.
Georgia State WR Ted Hurst 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes:
Height:Â 6032
Weight: 207
40 Time:Â 4.42
Recruiting:Â 0-star recruit in class of 2022. Committed to Division II powerhouse Valdosta State. 3-star transfer in class of 2024, committed to Georgia State.
College Production:Â 187 catches for 2,992 yards and 25 touchdowns. 127 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns at the Division I level. Two-time All-Sun Belt selection. College Freaks List.
Positives:
- Big-bodied receiver with incredible speed. Over 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds with 4.4-second speed is a rare blend. Could truly fill X or Z role at NFL level.
- Late bloomer who has constantly improved in college. Had no issues moving up from D2 to low-level FBS. Given his athleticism, he should have a high ceiling.
- Physical wideout that means press coverage easily. Combination of strength, speed and quickness helps him force missed tackles and be a menace after the catch.
- Great hip-sinking ability, footwork and balance help him separate. Hits the gas and uses quickness to free himself from slower defenders.
- Has a second gear on deep passes. Great ball tracker and understands leverage well to shake defensive backs down the field.
- Willing to catch passes across the middle and is a threat in the red zone. Touchdown magnet, recording 25 in college career and 15 of them in D1.
Hurst has some incredibly high-end traits that will get any NFL front office excited. A lot of what makes him great is stuff that you just can't teach. But Hurst is also more refined and ready to make the NFL leap than fans and analysts give him credit for.
Negatives:Â
- Lower level of competition begs the question of how he'll translate to NFL. Production was inconsistent against bigger FBS schools. Could add mass to help curb issue.
- Needs to develop a more diverse route tree. Could be a product of not needing to mix things up as much at lower level, but need to see on tape.
- Average hands. For a prospect his size, would like to see him use his frame more and haul in contested and tough catches.
- Run-blocking tape is rough.
Hurst has some odds and ends to clean up as he transitions to the NFL, but it is moreso about answering questions about moving up a level. His run-blocking, or lack thereof, is a bit scary, but Hurst plays with high effort and he should be able to learn and developt that ability.
Ted Hurst NFL Player Comparison: Christian Watson
Both Hurst and Watson are big and speedy wide receivers who teams and analysts may struggle to put firmly into a Z or X box. They both also hailed from smaller schools and came with the obvious question of how they would pan out at the NFL level, against the best of the best.
Neither were a finished product as prospects, however, as both need to improve their contested catch ability and expand their route tree. Both were highly productive in college, and Watson has panned out well in the NFL when healthy, so Hurst can, too.
Ted Hurst NFL Draft Grade: Round 3
If Hurst had a similar résumé at a Power 4 program, then we'd probably be talking about him being a Day 1 pick. But it takes an incredibly rare prospect from such a small school, especially one who struggled like Georgia State did, to be in that conversation.
Hurst has so much good tape and so many promising tools, however, that he should be able to carve out a role as a rookie and grow throughout his career. He may never be a No. 1 wideout, but Hurst projects to be a more than solid pass-catcher at the NFL level, which is always worth a Day 2 pick.