Hayden Hurst

in our view

While some teams will opt to shy away from Hurst due to his age - he will turn 25 in August - or lack of functional strength as a blocker, there is no denying his prototypical combination of size, athleticism and soft hands as a seam threat. Unlike most athletes of that age, Hurst's relative inexperience playing football could mean that he still has untapped potential, making him worthy of top 100 consideration.

strengths

Looks the part of an NFL tight end with a naturally large frame, including broad shoulders, long arms and a tapered build with good overall weight distribution. Perhaps Hurst's best attribute is his smooth acceleration off the ball. He shows impressive suddenness off the snap, quickly getting into his routes and showing good burst laterally out of his breaks to create separation, as well as the breakaway speed to be a legitimate seam-buster. Despite his relatively limited experience, Hurst shows natural receiving skills, consistently catching passes with his hands extended away from his body and looking the ball all the way in. He can extend and pluck outside of his frame, showing a large catch radius that extends low to the ground as well as high above his head. Hurst is an alert and willing blocker who showed improved strength and grit in 2017 with the work ethic to realistically expect improvement with more experience. He was voted a team captain in both 2016 and 2017. -- Rob Rang 1/2/2018

compares to

Luke Willson, Seahawks - Like Hurst, the 6-5, 255 pound Willson spent his youth playing other sports (hockey and baseball) before earning a living on the gridiron. Also like Willson (a fifth round pick by Seattle in 2013), Hurst is a fluid athlete for his size with good top-end speed who catches the ball well, projecting as a quality backup early in his career with future starting potential.

weaknesses

For his advanced age, Hurst remains technically raw in some of the finer points of the position, showing limited functional strength at the point of attack as an in-line blocker and too often getting knocked off his routes by physical defenders. He is bothered by defenders around him, too often losing control when the hits come as the ball arrives... Hurst was too easily bottled up in the red zone, showing just average spatial awareness of defenders around him and of the boundary lines. It is worth questioning how much he loves the sport given his late switch... Though he has no known medical issues since undergoing Tommy John surgery as an eighth grader, the seriousness of the injury and Hurst's relatively advanced age could earn him an extended look by team doctors at the Combine. -- Rob Rang 1/2/2018

Graduated from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. in 2012

played football but was also a standout on the baseball diamond

selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 17th round of the 2012 baseball draft

helped the Bulldogs to a pair of state baseball titles

was a Florida All-Region first-team selection and a 2012 Rawlings second-team All-American as a righthanded pitcher with a fastball in the low 90s

pitched in the 2011 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game

turned down a baseball scholarship to attend Florida State to sign with the Pirates.

Hayden Randle Hurst was born August 24, 1993

is a sport and entertainment management major

played two seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in the rookie Gulf Coast League, as a pitcher in 2013 and as a first baseman in 2014

underwent Tommy John surgery as an eighth grader.

2017

2016

2015