2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Rodney Hudson, Florida St.

Rodney Hudson– G – Florida State

6-2 277lbs Senior

Pros:

When Florida State coaches talk about Hudson they always reference his leadership ability.  He shows up every day and works hard to improve.  He pushes his teammates to work harder and improve and that is the kind of player NFL teams want in their locker room.  In pass protection Hudson does a good job at setting his base and keeping balance.  He doesn’t allow stronger defensive players to push him around and holds strong against the bull rush.  He has extremely quick feet which allows him to mirror defensive players and keep them in front of him.  He uses good technique and his football IQ to open holes for the running backs.  He doesn’t take false steps and often beats defenders to the point keeping himself in great position.

Cons:

Size is the biggest concern right now for NFL scouts. At 6-2 277 he will be undersized at both the guard and tackle positions.  He also doesn’t possess the greatest strength so there is the fear that the bigger defensive linemen will able to control him at the point of attack.  A lot of NFL teams are employing the 3-4 defensive scheme and with that comes massive nose tackles.  Hudson will need to get stronger in order to push the nose tackles off the blocks and out of running lanes.

Thoughts:

Hudson has the intangibles to overcome his size concerns.  He is a great leader and a hard worker and should improve every year.  NFL teams that are looking for a more athletic interior lineman will be thrilled to select Hudson.  The concerns about his size and strength are warranted but shouldn’t result in a major drop for Hudson come draft day.

Projected Round:

Right now Hudson is in the 2^nd round range.