Hayden Hurst may not be one of the most talked about up-and-coming tight ends in the NFL, but he certainly deserves to be. Drafted by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Hurst is expected to be a huge presence for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco moving forward.

Standing in at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, the former South Carolina star is getting closer to making his NFL debut. After suffering a stress fracture in his foot, Hurst made his first return to practice of the regular season, as reported by ProFootballTalk.

The report also mentioned that Hurst is hoping to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, but there is no guarantee that he will be able to.

Hurst took part in practice on Wednesday in a first step toward joining the lineup. The rest of the week will provide more of an idea about whether he’ll be able to play against the Steelers on Sunday night.

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Being able to bring Hurst back would be a big step in the right direction for the Ravens' offense. That isn't to say the Ravens have been bad this season. Baltimore has gotten off to a 2-1 start and is coming off a convincing victory over the Denver Broncos.

During the 2017 college football season with the Gamecocks, Hurst earned a lot of recognition. He caught 44 passes for 559 yards and two touchdowns. While those numbers may not look impressive, the physical size and ability he possesses is going to be tough for any opposing defense to cover.

Only time will tell if Hurst is actually able to play this week, but getting him back on the field is an encouragement, to say the least.