Name: James Hudson 
School: Cincinnati 
Year:  Redshirt Junior 
Position: Offensive Tackle 
Measurements:  6’4 3/8ths 302 
  
General Info:
Hudson is originally from Toledo, Ohio. He attended Central Catholic High School. He committed and signed with Michigan out of high school in 2017. Hudson started out as a defensive lineman. Was a 4-star recruit as a defensive lineman coming out of high school. Redshirted his first year at Michigan. Only played a little his redshirt freshmen season in 2018 after converting to offensive tackle. Hudson transferred in 2019 to Cincinnati. He applied for a hardship waiver to play right away but was denied, he was able to play and start one game against Boston College. He started all 10 games in 2020 at tackle.  
 
Positional Skills:
Positives:  
Having been a former defensive lineman it shows, he is athletic and explosive. Hudson is also quick out of his stance; he is always the first guy out of his stance after the snap. Hudson has big, strong 11-inchhands! He gets to the 2nd level with ease on wide zone plays and screen plays. For someone that barely weights over 300 lbs., he is impressively strong. He went up against 340-pound Jordan Davis of Georgia a few times in their bowl game and he just stonewalled him. On film his feet look very quick and he shows good coordination. Hudson does a good job of shoving pass rusher wide when they try and go around him. He bends at the knees, never his hips. Which is impressive for a guy who has only played offensive line for three years and only a one-year starter. Hudson shows on film an ability to reset his punch quickly and strike the defender again accurately. Once he latches onto defenders, they have a hard time getting off. Hudson will occasionally take his man to the ground. 

Negatives: 
Firstly, the most obvious one, he is raw. He only started on year at Cincinnati.  Also, he sat out two seasons, one as a redshirt and the other as a transfer. His arm length is just average at 33 inches. The former defensive lineman can get tricked sometimes when a pass rusher fakes to the outside and then comes back inside. While he is strong Hudson is not a bury you in the dirt type of run blocker. Can take his eyes off the defender pre snap. Stunts and games can confuse Hudson sometimes. The Cincinnati product does have trouble sometimes hitting his target on downfield plays like screens and wide zone runs. His technique can slip sometimes and that’s when he gets beat. 
 
Fit with the Packers:
Hudson would be a great developmental pick for the Packers. While he doesn’t fit as far as versatility. He definitely fits as far as being athletic. He has quick feet and looks explosive and smooth on film. Hudson is a perfect fit in the zone scheme that Green Bay employs. He has all the upside, and temperament to become a very good starting offensive tackle. Hudson is strong and still has the frame to add some more weight. Most of his flaws are experience and technique issues. He would need a ‘redshirt’ year to add weight and to work on learning to be an NFL OT. Let him sit behind Turner for a season and soak up all his and Bahktiari’s knowledge and he will hit the ground running in year two. Worst comes to worst you can move him inside to guard. 

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