Which former Gamecocks reached out to Hayden Hurst before his 1st NFL training camp?

Hayden Hurst reported for his first NFL training camp on Wednesday, full of excitement, confidence and advice from all over the place.

The former South Carolina tight end was an All-SEC selection in 2017 and a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in April. Since then, he’s talked to historic names at his position from both organizations, he told reporters.

From the Ravens, Hurst said he received a voicemail from former All-Pro tight end Todd Heap, who still holds the franchise record for touchdown receptions and is second in yards and catches.

From the Gamecocks, Hurst said he has communicated with Justice Cunningham, the 2013 draft’s “Mr. Irrelevant” who last played in 2015, and Jared Cook, a well-respected tight end entering his 10th year in the league.

All of them had a simple message for the 24-year-old rookie.

“I was able to talk to Todd Heap a little bit. Some of the guys at South Carolina, Justice Cunningham, Jared Cook, those guys reached out to me and just told me to go out and do what I do,” Hurst said. “The game gets a little bit faster in the NFL, but at the end of the day, it’s football.”

It helps that Hurst already has developed a rapport with his QB, Joe Flacco, he said.

“We worked on a lot of stuff during the spring. I think it took me a few practices to get where he wanted me to get as far as getting my eyes around and getting on the same page, but where we are now, I’m pretty confident he has a trust with me, he expects me to make plays, and that’s what I’m going to do for him,” Hurst said.

Of course, Flacco isn’t the only quarterback in camp — Hurst’s fellow first-round pick and former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson is considered one of the most intriguing first-year players in the entire NFL heading into 2018, and the attention he’s received has helped deflect at least a little pressure off Hurst, he said.

At the same time, players like Hurst and Jackson are a key reason why some are calling this camp the “most anticipated” in the past decade for the Ravens. And that kind of hype has Hurst eager to take the field.

“There’s a lot of buzz about the free agents and the draft and the guys we brought in. I’m excited to be a part of that conversation. Excited for football to start,” Hurst said.

This story was originally published July 18, 2018 at 3:55 PM.