Hayden Hurst Reportedly Will Undergo Surgery to Repair Foot Injury

Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst's career debut will have to be put on hold, as the first-round pick suffered a foot injury that will require surgery.

Hurst has a stress fracture and will undergo a procedure to insert a screw in his foot, sidelining him for three to four weeks, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

This is a difficult blow for the rookie, who was looking to establish himself at the NFL level after the Ravens selected him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Hurst has had a promising preseason to this point, even catching a touchdown pass in Baltimore's first preseason game against the Chicago Bears.

The 25-year-old turned heads in the college ranks at South Carolina with 44 catches for 559 yards and two touchdowns in 2017 after tallying 48 catches for 616 yards and a score the previous year.

His size stands out at 6'5", but he has the versatility to line up across the field and the athleticism to make defenders miss and capitalize on big plays.

Fortunately for the Ravens, they still have Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams to carry the load at tight end while Hurst is sidelined.

While they can help keep the team afloat in the short term, Hurst's development figures to be a critical part of Baltimore's offense in the coming years.