Valdosta State isn't exactly known for its well-paved path to the National Football League. Only six players have ever been drafted out of the D-II program, and while several more have latched on with teams from time to time as rookie free agents, the numbers still aren't that great. But the Kansas City Chiefs have stronger ties with the school than other teams, and they might add another with their latest draft interest.
The Chiefs are holding an official visit before the 2026 NFL Draft with wide receiver Ted Hurst. While he's entering the league as a Georgia State product, he began his career with the Valdosta State Blazers.
Hurst is a top-ten receiver in this year's draft class, with a good shot of getting drafted somewhere on Day 2—perhaps quite early—which could matter for a team like the Chiefs, with the No. 40 pick overall near the top of the second round.
The Chiefs have a visit scheduled with Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst before the draft.
Hurst is one of several wideouts visiting Arrowhead in the weeks before the draft—including top-tier options like Ohio State's Carnell Tate and USC's Makai Lemon—and he's put up big numbers in the last two seasons at Georgia State—with just under 2,000 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He's a lengthy target (6-3, 195 lbs.) who was named First Team All-Sun Belt in each of the last two years.
For the Chiefs, Hurst would provide a big receiver with excellent hands and deep speed that translates on film. Our own Price Carter compares him to Tyquan Thornton, who the Chiefs just re-signed to a two-year deal in free agency, but K.C.'s depth and overall talent pool at wide receiver needs an infusion for the long haul. Andy Reid and company can sort out the usage rates later.
As for the Valdosta connection, the Chiefs have never drafted a player from the school, but they've brought in two players in Andy Reid's tenure to compete in training camp. The most famous is tight end Jody Fortson, who found himself alternating between the practice squad and roster for several seasons and recently visited the Tennessee Titans this spring after missing all of last year recovering from a serious knee injury. The other is wideout Seantavious Jones, who stuck on the 90-man roster in 2016-17. It's also notable that former cornerback Maurice Leggett (2008-10) was also from Valdosta State.