NFL’s Next Gen Stats gives Khaleke Hudson elite rating post-combine

How the former Wolverines VIPER did and one advanced stats group that proclaimed that Hudson was among the best LBs in Indianapolis.

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There wasn’t a lot of talk, despite being a productive three-year starter, about Michigan VIPER Khaleke Hudson making a move up with a solid performance in the NFL Scouting Combine.

That certainly looks like it’s destined for a change.

While his NFL.com evaluation was less than stellar, his performance in Indianapolis says another thing. Hudson had the most reps of any non-lineman on the bench press — ninth overall — and was eighth (of 30) in his 40 time, running a 4.56.

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And though he was middling in his vertical and broad jumps, Next Gen Stats, the advanced statistics arm of the NFL, proclaimed Hudson’s performance among the elite at the linebacker position, giving him a 98 (out of 100) rating, just behind Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, Miss. St.’s Willie Gay and Stanford’s Casey Toohill.

Combine results and NFL.com evaluation

40-yard dash 4.56 Vertical jump 33
Bench press 30 Broad jump 120

Hudson’s NFL.com draft profile was given before the combine, and Lance Zierlein was none too thrilled about him as an NFL prospect, giving the McKeesport native a 5.46 grade — a rating indicating that he won’t get drafted.

Overview

Undersized safety turned linebacker who summons toughness and spunk to counterbalance his lack of traits. The production has been fairly impressive in two of the last three seasons, but he’s quicker than fast and his range is limited. Hudson’s lack of size shows up near the line of scrimmage and he’s not as sticky in coverage as he needs to be. His talent for blocking punts should garner attention, but may not be enough to overcome deficiencies at linebacker or safety.

Strengths

  • Robust production in 2017 included 17.5 TFLs and eight sacks
  • Commendable toughness against consistently bigger foes
  • Early run diagnosis triggers race to beat blockers to the spot
  • Downhill flow into the gaps looking for work
  • Sees gaps develop in blocking scheme and fits them downhill
  • Tremendous burst out of his stance as punt blocker
  • Twitchy, short-area change of direction in space
  • Adequate balance in coverage
  • Instant get-off in race to the punter
  • Finished career with five blocked punts

Weaknesses

  • Got mauled by Army’s rushing attack
  • His GPS sends him to heavily trafficked areas
  • Frequently pinballed around by blockers
  • Hip tightness and short strides prevent recoveries against bounce-wide runs
  • Has to work overtime to pull away from blocks
  • Lacks length and pattern anticipation for man coverage
  • Needs abundance of steps to close downhill from his drops
  • Average response time to what he sees in zone

However stark the above may be, Hudson certainly helped himself over the weekend. While he still might be a Day Three pick, if that’s to come to pass, he might go sooner on that April Saturday than later.

But Hudson can improve his draft stock yet should he have an exceptional Pro Day in Ann Arbor later this month.