Khaleke Hudson Overview
Position: Safety
Height: 5’11’
Weight: 218 pounds
School: University of Michigan
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.56 seconds
Bench Press: 30 reps
Vertical Jump: 33.0″
Broad Jump: 120.0″
Khaleke Hudson 2020 NFL Draft Profile
As far as college football goes, the University of Michigan has always been known to produce some of the top talent on the defensive side of the ball. Players like Devin Bush Jr., Rashan Gary, Jabrill Peppers, and Lano Hill are former Wolverines who have gone on to have promising careers in the NFL. This year seems no different, as several defensive players from UM are expected to be drafted inside of the top 100 picks. One of those Wolverines looking for a shot in the NFL this year is safety Khaleke Hudson.
Coming out of high school ranked as a three-star recruit, Hudson turned down schools like Alabama and Ohio State to sign with the Wolverines, where he would become a cornerstone on their defense. During his four years at UM, Hudson fit the squad’s viper role perfectly. His impressive power and quickness allowed him to become a talented safety/linebacker hybrid, impressing scouts with his versatility. Hudson finished Michigan’s 2019 campaign with 102 tackles and two sacks. He also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and a blocked kick during the season.
Those stats led him to be selected to the All-Big Ten Second-Team, which is quite impressive. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, Hudson decided to enter his name into the 2020 NFL Draft and test his luck at the next level. Hudson’s versatility and toughness has made him one of the most intriguing safety prospects in this year’s draft.
Strengths
- Has the ability to change direction at the drop of a hat, impresses scouts with his twitchy, sleek movements;
- Large box safety who has ample experience at LB, NCB, and EDGE;
- Has good length and explosiveness;
- Understands pre-snap motions well, possesses a high football IQ;
- Possesses good general strength;
- Has solid tackling techniques.
Weaknesses
- Struggles to stay attached to bigger targets in man coverage;
- Doesn’t fit one position extremely well, just appears average at multiple areas;
- Gets pretty “grabby” beyond the contact window, inviting refs to penalize him;
- Linear frame that doesn’t carry much bulk;
- Has a picky approach to tackling, often sinks back and doesn’t look to initiate contact with ball carriers.
NFL Comparison: Eric Berry
Teams With Need at Position: Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Projection: Early 6th – Late 7th
Bottom Line on Khaleke Hudson
Despite his lack of size and frame, Hudson still projects as a versatile defensive back. His production over the last two years has proved that he can be a quality player in the right system. And finding the right system is exactly what it will take to make sure Hudson has success at the next level. In the end, his versatility will make him an interesting prospect for teams looking for depth late in the draft.
Hudson’s ability to block punts and perform on special teams should allow him to make a spot on the end of a team’s roster or on a practice squad. The reality of it is, Hudson will need a creative defensive coordinator to introduce him into new defensive scheme that fits his play style. If he can find that, Hudson has the chance to be a steal for a team who pulls the trigger on him late in the draft.
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