The Dallas Cowboys have always had a knack for finding diamonds in the rough in the undrafted free agent pool. As such, one always has to pay close attention to the gems Jerry and Stephen Jones may have stumbled upon after the three-day event.
And, with rookie minicamp in the rearview mirror, it's officially time to take a look at the roster and figure out who may or may not make the cut. As always, being drafted doesn't guarantee a spot on the 53-man roster.
Considering that, it's hard to envision a scenario where the Cowboys won't roll the dice on SMU receiver Jordan Hudson. He has strong physical traits and is coming off a strong final season. It also helps that the team could use another pass catcher for Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys may have struck gold with Jordan Hudson
A Dallas-Fort Worth native, Hudson was a late bloomer in college. The lack of production earlier in his career most likely caused him to go undrafted, though Dane Brugler of The Athletic projected him to go between the sixth and seventh rounds.
Operating as the Mustang's X receiver, he hauled in 61 passes for 766 yards and six touchdowns in his final season in college. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 199 pounds, he has the prototypical body of an NFL wide receiver, and he can give this team some depth on the outside.
Hudson is at his best after the catch. More than half of his production (390 yards) came when he already had the ball in his hands, and 6.2 of his 13.2 yards per reception came after the catch. He's much more shifty and faster than most big-bodied wideouts, and that's what makes him such an intriguing pickup for this team.
Of course, the Cowboys have a clear pecking order in the wide receiver corps. Unless he's traded, George Pickens will likely be the Robin to CeeDee Lamb's Batman, with Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin rounding things up.
That said, Hudson didn't need many touches to be efficient. Per Pro Football Focus, he averaged 2.16 yards per route run, so he clearly knows how to make the most of every opportunity he has. His blend of physicality and big-play ability certainly makes him someone worth keeping an eye on.
Like all undrafted free agents, he'll have to work twice as hard to make a strong impression and make the roster. But given enough time and reps, he could be someone who'll make the other 31 teams regret passing on him when they had a chance.
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