INDIANAPOLIS — Ted Hurst is currently the busiest man in the 2026 NFL Draft pool. The Georgia State wide receiver arrived in Indianapolis on Monday for a private workout with the Indianapolis Colts, fresh off a Sunday visit with the Miami Dolphins. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that 12 teams have officially scheduled in-person visits or workouts with the 6-foot-4 playmaker, signaling a massive surge in his mid-round stock.
Hurst isn’t just a small-school standout with nice stats. He’s a physical outlier. At nearly 205 pounds, he torched the turf at the NFL Combine with a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. When you pair that speed with a 36.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-3 broad jump, you get a 9.90 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Scouts aren’t just looking at him; they’re obsessed with the math behind his movement.
From Valdosta to the Big Stage
Hurst’s path to the NFL wasn’t a straight line. He cut his teeth at Valdosta State, hauling in 10 touchdowns over two seasons before moving up to the Sun Belt. He didn’t just survive the jump in competition; he owned it. In 2024, he snagged 56 balls for 961 yards and set a school record with nine touchdowns. That season included a signature moment Panthers fans still talk about: a game-winning touchdown against Vanderbilt with only 15 seconds left on the clock.
The 2025 campaign proved the breakout wasn’t a fluke. Hurst earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors by crossing the century mark with 71 receptions and 1,004 yards. Despite Georgia State’s offensive struggles as a team, Hurst remained a beacon of consistency, leading the Panthers in every major receiving category. He showed he could be the “X” factor even when the defense knew exactly where the ball was going.
“He’s got that rare ‘my ball’ mentality. You see a guy that size move like a track star, and you think he’s a finesse player. Then he goes up and tries to take the defender’s head off for a jump ball. That’s the grit we want in our room.”
— Anonymous AFC Scouting Director
The Next Great Vertical Threat
Draft analyst Lance Zierlein views Hurst as a high-upside “Z” receiver. His ability to track deep passes and create yardage after the catch has drawn comparisons to Dallas Cowboys standout George Pickens. While some critics point to the “small school” tag, 12 NFL franchises—including the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings—clearly disagree.
Hurst is currently projected as a third-to-fourth-round pick, but his heavy itinerary suggests a team might pull the trigger earlier to secure his verticality. With the Colts looking for a reliable weapon to stretch the field, Monday’s workout in Indy could be the final piece of the puzzle for Hurst’s draft night destiny. He’s no longer a sleeper; he’s the target.
