Hayden Hurst adds 20 pounds of muscle

[Poe the Raven]

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Hayden Hurst has called his rookie season “just average” after a stress fracture in his foot during training camp set him back. The tight end missed the first four games and never played at 100 percent, finishing with only 13 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown.

“I had a lot of expectations last year and the foot thing happened,” Hurst said, via Clifton Brown of the team website. “Injuries happen, but kind of out of sight, out of mind. It’s just kind of how it is, but I’m happy it happened because it’s just kind of added a little more fuel to my fire.”

Hurst said he has added 20 pounds of muscle this offseason, getting his weight to 265 pounds.

“I’m kind of on a mission this year. I’ve got a lot to prove,” he said.

Hurst said he expects the added weight to help him, not only as a blocker but for durability’s sake.

“The goal was to put on muscle to kind of protect [the foot],” Hurst said. “Last year coming off the Combine and everything, I wasn’t able to work out like I did at South Carolina. I kind of felt not as strong as I was. That was a goal for me to get a little bit stronger so physically I could deal with stuff.”

Hurst said he feels better mentally, too, as he competes with Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle for playing time.

“There was a bit of a learning curve last year, just getting comfortable being out here with the way these guys practice,” Hurst said. “A year under my belt, I definitely feel a lot more confident with where I am now.”