After trading back twice in the first-round, the Baltimore Ravens selected South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst with the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. This was the scenario that most fans were clamoring for as Baltimore desperately needed a dynamic tight end. With a not-so deep class, the Ravens found a way to get great value, while selecting, arguably, the top tight end in the Draft. Hurst will join Darren Waller (pending reinstatement), Nick Boyle, Vince Mayle and Maxx Williams in the tight end room.

Hurst certainly adds a different component to this group. He is an extremely athletic prospect, who has the best hands in this draft class. While his production in college is rather underwhelming, Hurst’s versatility is extremely enticing. At South Carolina, they seemingly lined him up all over the field. In each of the clips below, watch how they used him. That is what makes this pick so intriguing for the Ravens as they appear to have found a difference making tight end.

Blocking:

Hurst is an average blocking tight end, but the Ravens do not need a blocking tight end. They need a tight end that will make an impact in the passing game, as Boyle and Williams are solid blockers.

Hurst completely whiffed on his block and his assignment recovered the fumble. The negative result on this play wasn’t entirely his fault, but this was something that happened from time to time for Hurst.

Hurst was able to completely seal off his side, which resulted in a nice hole for the running back. The running back failed to capitalize, but Hurst did his job on this play. At times, Hurst showed great awareness and instincts in run-blocking, while at other times he struggles.

Hurst was pushed back on this play, which resulted in a short gain. He was unable to seal off his side and his assignment helped make the tackle. Hurst was outmatched on this play when taking on a linebacker.

On this screen pass, Hurst completely took his defender out of the play as he almost pushed him out of bounds. This is an excellent demonstration of what Hurst could be as a blocker if he is properly developed, but at this point he is average at best.

This is another example of Hurst being outmatched. Not only does he get pushed back, but the play results in a loss because of Hurst’s inability to block his assignment.

Reliable Hands:

The Ravens’ brass said during their post-draft press-conference that Hurst does not drop the football. After watching the film, they were not lying. Hurst has incredible hands, in fact, I only recorded one drop when watching his tape.

This was a poorly thrown football, but Hurst was able to make the adjustment and complete the catch. Not only did Hurst make the catch, but he picked up a couple of extra yards with a vicious stiff arm. This was a perfect instance of Hurst finding the soft spot in coverage and getting open.

Hurst also excels at making contested catches. Despite the tight-coverage, Hurst was able to make the catch and fight for a couple of extra yards as well. This was an incredible display of his concentration and body positioning.

Although he only had three receiving touchdowns at South Carolina, Hurst showcased the ability to go up and get the ball in the red zone. This was a two-point conversion, but he was able to ‘box out’ the defender and make a play on the football. Hurst has excellent body control.

This is another tremendous display of his incredible body positioning and ability to go up for the football. Despite having two defenders near him, Hurst was able to win the 50-50 battle and come down with the football. Without a doubt, one of his greatest strengths are his hands.

Despite a poorly thrown ball, Hurst was able to reach out and snag it with one hand. His concentration and ability to adjust to the football flashed all over his film. Not only was he able to make a rather difficult catch, but he stayed upright to score a touchdown.

This was the only drop I saw on his film. It was not an easy catch, but Hurst clearly had both hands on the football and was unable to bring in the catch. Again, this is a non-issue for Hurst.

Poor QB play:

Hurst’s production in college does not jump off your screen, but a big factor in that could have been due to poor quarterback play while at South Carolina. As seen throughout these clips, Hurst had to deal with a ton of poorly thrown footballs.

On this play, the ball was thrown too high and out of bounds. It was a busted coverage that resulted in Hurst being wide open for an easy touchdown. Plays like this occurred too often for South Carolina and Hurst.

In the same game, Hurst clearly had a step on his matchup, yet the ball was uncatchable. This would have been another touchdown for Hurst, but again, the ball was thrown out of bounds. Hurst had no chance on this play. If Joe Flacco can simply give Hurst a chance to make a play on the football, he will win more 50-50 battles than he loses.

Yards after catch:

Hurst is an athletic playmaker that creates mismatches, but what makes him even more impressive is what he does with the football in his hands. As I previously mentioned, South Carolina found different ways to get him the football as they even ran a couple of end arounds for him.

Hurst was wide open on this play, and he made Georgia’s defense pay as he easily picks up the first-down. Hurst lowered his shoulder and picked up a couple of extra yards. This was another common occurrence for Hurst. He fights for every single yard.

On this play, Hurst took the handoff and picked up the first-down. He was able to break several tackles before going down. He is a special talent with the football in his hands. Like South Carolina did, Baltimore should finds way to get him the football.

Despite several missed blocks, Hurst made a couple of defenders miss as he muscled his way to the end zone. Hurst was able to quickly change directions as he made a quick cut to the inside. His athleticism cannot be overstated.

Hurst’s speed is another element to his game that many have neglected. He has an intriguing combination of size and speed. His athleticism continues to flash all over his tape, and here he was able to make two defenders miss on his way to scoring a touchdown.

Final Take:

The Baltimore Ravens found a way to get great value as they secured, arguably, the best tight end in this class. He appears to be exactly what the Ravens desperately needed in a tight end. He is a dynamic playmaker, who will make an impact in the passing-game. Hurst will likely be an immediate starter for Baltimore as he brings another element to this seemingly rebuilt offense.

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