With the No. 25 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected Hayden Hurst, tight end out of South Carolina after trades with the Bills and Titans.
Draft tracker: Get grades for every pick
Grade: B+
Pete Prisco: They take the draft's best right end to fill a major need. They also added picks trading down. Nice job.
Change the way you listen to NFL news, subscribe to the Pick Six Podcast with Will Brinson and you'll know everything you need to know about the 2018 NFL Draft. Subscribe: via iTunes | via Stitcher | via TuneIn
Scouting report
Chris Trapasso: Effective as in-space blocker for screens. Willing but not overly powerful or impressive in-line against bigger defenders. Fluid athlete who can stretch the field down the middle and on the perimeter on wheels. Downfield speed is above-average. Hands aren't an issue. Good TE2.
Fantasy impact
Jamey Eisenberg: The Ravens continue to revamp their receiving corps after adding Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead this offseason, and Hurst is another weapon for Joe Flacco. He likely won't make much of an impact for Fantasy owners in re-draft leagues, but he's someone to monitor during the year. And in dynasty leagues, Hurst is worth taking with a second-round pick in rookie-only drafts.
NCAA recap
John Whittle, The Big Spur: Tight end Hayden Hurst took a roundabout path to South Carolina but ended up starring as one of the best players at his position in the SEC. Hurst signed a professional baseball contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates out of The Bolles School in 2012 with dreams of becoming a major league pitcher. When that plan didn't work out, a walk-on opportunity with the Gamecocks came about. He bounced back and forth between tight end and wide receiver as a freshman in 2015 catching eight passes for 106 yards. His sophomore year with a scholarship in hand, Hurst flourished setting single-season school records for receptions (48) and yards receiving (616) for a tight end. He was also the first player in school history to be named a permanent team captain as a sophomore.
Hurst contemplated leaving school after his sophomore season but elected to return in 2017, in part to focus on his blocking. The coaching staff said he improved in that area from his sophomore to junior season, but he was still relied upon heavily for offensive production as well. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder caught 44 passes for 559 yards during his final season with the Gamecocks along with two touchdowns. For the second straight season, Hurst was voted a permanent captain by his teammates.
