Hayden Hurst No. 1 TE for 2018, top NFL draft guru says

Mike Mayock has risen in recent years to be one the top NFL draft analysts around.

The NFL Network personality released his top players at each position on Monday at NFL.com, and it’s little surprise where former South Carolina star tight end Hayden Hurst ended up.

Mayock joined a growing chorus of gurus rating Hurst as the top tight end in the 2018 draft. The former baseball player left USC after three years.

Hurst finished second on South Carolina’s team in receiving in 2017, hauling in 44 passes for 559 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 30 yards and a score.

Hurst is a former professional baseball player who played in the Pirates’ organization before walking on to Carolina’s football team in the summer of 2015.

Other projections for Hurst:

▪  Earlier this year NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah rated Hurst as a first-rounder and a top-35 player in the draft.

▪  ESPN’s Todd McShay had Hurst going No. 29 to his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars.

This story was originally published February 19, 2018 at 4:19 PM with the headline "Hayden Hurst No. 1 TE for 2018, top NFL draft guru says."