As the 2018 NFL Draft nears, speculation is mounting that South Carolina Gamecocks star Hayden Hurst will be the first tight end off the board.
As the 2018 NFL Draft nears, one could make a solid case that the position with the most uncertainty is tight end. There are a number of intriguing players at the position, but no one has quite established themselves as a can’t-miss prospect.
While there may be an external debate about who the top tight end is, a prospect is finally beginning to create separation from the pack: Hayden Hurst.
Hurst emerged as one of the better tight ends in the country during his tenure with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Standing at 6’4″ and 250 pounds with sub-4.7 speed and quality production, it’s not hard to see why Hurst is such a coveted prospect.
According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Hurst is solidifying his place as the favorite to be the first tight end to be drafted in 2018.
"Now that we’ve reached this point in the evaluation process, one thing that’s becoming clear is South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst is emerging as the favorite to be the first tight end selected when the 2018 NFL Draft begins in 27 days. In fact, one personnel man said he preferred Hurst and that it “wasn’t even close”."
Some will debate if Hurst should be the first tight end off the board, but it’s understandable for him to be in the position he is.
Hurst recorded 92 receptions, 1,175 receiving yards, and three touchdowns between the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Beyond the numbers, he possesses an ideal combination of size, strength, and athleticism for the tight end position.
In the modern NFL, the mere presence of an athletic tight end who can make plays after the catch can change the identity of an entire offense.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that Hurst has emerged as an NFL prospect. What raises questions, however, is a matter of his career window.
Hurst will be a 25-year-old rookie during the 2018 NFL season. That clearly shouldn’t disqualify him from first-round consideration, but many have questioned how rational it would be to invest in a player who’s soon to be five years from 30.
Thankfully for Hurst, his talent level appears to be speaking louder than the critics, which has thus enabled him to surface on the Round 1 bubble.
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The 2018 NFL Draft has a questionable crop of tight ends, but Hayden Hurst appears to be the favorite to be the first player off the board.