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He’s 6’4″ and Has Great Speed. Oh, and The Vikings are Bringing Him in for a Visit
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- He’s 6’4″ and Has Great Speed. Oh, and The Vikings are Bringing Him in for a Visit
Jeffrey Becker
Gone is Jalen Nailor. Replacing him is… nobody ?
So far, the Vikings haven't done anything to beef up the receiver position. Justin Jefferson remains as the clear-cut WR1 (and most valuable player on the team more broadly). Next up is Jordan Addison, the gifted receiver who needs to say out of trouble off the field . Tai Felton, the soon-to-be sophomore coming off a modest rookie season, will get the first shot at WR3. That is, of course, unless someone else gets added.
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The Vikings are Meeting with Ted Hurst
The update arrives courtesy of Ryan Fowler. He writes , "Source: The Minnesota Vikings will host Georgia State WR Ted Hurst for a 30 visit. Standout of Senior Bowl week is a likely Day 2 pick."
By Day 2, Fowler is pointing to the 2nd and 3rd Round, the picks that go from No. 33 to No. 102. The Vikings are currently sitting on No. 49 (2nd), No. 82 (3rd), and No. 97 (3rd). If Fowler is correct that Hurst gets chosen at some point within the 2nd or 3rd (taking place on Friday, April 24th), then the Vikings are sitting in a nice position to make it happen.
David Butler II-Imagn Images
The appeal is easy to see.
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His 9.90 RAS Score is elite . Mr. Hurst stands at 6'4″ and weighs 206 pounds. He ran a 4.42 forty, meaning he clocked a faster time than both of Jefferson and Addison. In theory, he could shake loose down the field as the WR1 and WR2 stole attention away from defenders who should have been keeping a roof over the Georgia State alumnus.
That's the theory, at least.
Consider what Lance Zierlein had to say : "Long-legged, vertical-minded wideout with the speed and ability to stress corners from snap to whistle. Hurst is quick to beat press and hit the accelerator into his route work. He has the hips, feet and balance to run a more robust route tree than what we saw from him in college. He's an above-average ball-tracker deep and a dangerous catch-and-run option. The hands are average and he needs to become more assertive on 50/50 balls on all three levels. Hurst appears capable of surviving the jump in competition and projects as a 'Z' receiver with quality upside."
The observation that Hurst will need to expand his route tree isn't super surprising; that's true of a lot of young fellas, especially the long-and-strong burners who get sent deep with regularity. The Vikings would have the luxury of bringing him along slowly since Jefferson and Addison can do most of the heavylifting in 2026.
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Having Keenan McCardell as the receiver coach doesn't hurt, either.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Combined, Ted Hurst boasted some impressive numbers 2024 and 2025 . His 127 catches have translated to 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 15.5 yards-per-reception average is healthy, a number Minnesota would want to replicate in the pros.
Given his build, Hurst may get tasked with some special teams work to begin his career. Lining up at gunner, for instance, would make sense as an early assignment. Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels may therefore have some questions for the receiver in the visit in the Twin Cities.
PFF handed him a healthy 82.0 grade for his work last season, putting Hurst down at 46th among qualifying receivers (a monstrous list with more than 1,000 under consideration). He had 583 snaps out wide — an alignment that makes sense given his build — alongside 80 snaps in the slot and 2 snaps in the backfield.
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The same site puts Hurst down as the No. 97 prospect, the exact draft slot that Minnesota owns after the compensatory selections got divvied up. Maybe all the stars will align as the Vikings add the speedster with a towering frame.
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of the Minnesota Vikings helmet before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The 2026 NFL Draft goes from Thursday, April 23rd until Saturday, April 25th. Minnesota is sitting on nine draft picks.
