Hayden Hurst scores first NFL touchdown in Carolina homecoming

It didn’t come in a result he particularly wanted, but Hayden Hurst finally got his first official NFL touchdown.

And Baltimore Ravens fans got a glimpse into their future.

The former South Carolina football tight end snagged a 22-yard pass late in Sunday’s game between the Ravens and the Carolina Panthers, trotting into the end zone on the receiving end of a connection between first round picks with quarterback Lamar Jackson. It was also Jackson’s first career touchdown.

Hurst’s touchdown made the score 36-21 in favor of the Panthers with just a few seconds left to play and wasn’t enough to change the outcome, a Ravens loss.

Still, it marked a milestone in what has been a frustrating rookie campaing for the Gamecock, who was injured in the preseason and missed the start of the year and had just two receptions before the TD grab. And it also gave Baltimore supporters something to look forward to in an otherwise disappointing day where the Ravens slipped in the AFC East standings.

On the season, Hurst now has three catches on eight targets for 32 yards.

This story was originally published October 28, 2018 at 4:17 PM.