Kobe Hudson WR UCF | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Kobe Hudson WR UCF
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/19/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.57 seconds (26%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 03/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.57 seconds (26%*) | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 78.8 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
|
75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 94.8 | |
| Hands: |
|
52% |
| Short Receiving: |
|
67% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
|
77% |
| Deep Threat: |
|
76% |
| Blocking: |
|
59% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#214
Position rank:
#25
|
||
| College Games: 58 College Snaps: 2395 | ||
ESPN RATING: 84/100
College Combine Results
|
||
|
247 RATING: 93/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Javon Baker - UCF |
|
86% |
| Jalen Tolbert - South Alabama |
|
78% |
| Rakim Jarrett - Maryland |
|
78% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born and raised in Georgia, Kobe Hudson was a four-star recruit who garnered attention as the Class 4A state player of the year after posting an eye-popping junior season with 3,386 passing yards, 38 TDs through the air, plus another 1,410 yards and 18 scores on the ground. His athleticism earned him a spot in the prestigious All-American Bowl and ultimately landed him at Auburn to begin his collegiate career.Hudson's journey took a significant turn when he transferred to UCF after two seasons with the Tigers, where he had begun to show promise as Auburn's leading receiver in 2021 (44-580-4). His development accelerated in Orlando, evolving from a complementary piece (39-641-7) in 2022 to becoming the Knights' primary downfield weapon over his final two seasons. The move to the Big 12 didn't slow his progression, as he earned back-to-back Honorable Mention All-Conference selections while amassing 91 receptions for 1,670 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final two campaigns. His 2024 season particularly showcased his reliability and big-play ability as he started all 12 games, leading the Knights with 47 receptions for 770 yards and four scores. His standout performance at TCU (6-145-2) propelled UCF to a critical Big 12 Conference opener victory, and he delivered consistently with seven-catch outings against both Cincinnati and Utah down the stretch.
What truly jumps off the tape with Hudson is his vertical production - his yards-per-catch numbers consistently hovered around the 16-20 yard mark, highlighted by his breakout 2023 season where he ranked fourth in the Big 12 and seventh nationally with 20.45 yards per reception. Even in 2024, he remained among the conference's most dangerous deep threats, averaging 16.38 yards per reception (seventh-best in the Big 12) while logging three 100+ yard performances. Perhaps most impressive is the consistency he displayed in his final campaign, setting a program milestone by recording at least one reception in 35 consecutive games - the second-longest streak in UCF history.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Shows impressive press release technique with sudden lateral movements that create immediate separation, allowing him to get into routes cleanly against physical corners.
- Possesses advanced understanding of leverage, frequently stair-stepping and stacking defenders vertically before they can recover, particularly effective on vertical patterns.
- Demonstrates patient route intelligence by manipulating corners' expectations - gets up on defenders' toes before breaking, creating high-percentage separation windows.
- Tracks the deep ball with natural instinct, showing exceptional awareness adjusting to passes while maintaining speed and body positioning against tight coverage.
- Brings sneaky build-up speed that catches defenders off guard, allowing him to pull away from pursuit after initial catch despite modest timed speed.
- Maintains route timing consistency and doesn't telegraph breaks, varying tempo effectively to keep defensive backs guessing and off-balance.
- Displays subtle selling techniques on double moves that force corners to bite, creating big-play opportunities on sluggo and post routes.
- Shows encouraging willingness and functional strength when called upon as a blocker, bringing a physical edge that hints at further development potential.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Concentration lapses lead to frustrating drops on routine catches, particularly evident when working over the middle or when passes arrive outside his frame.
- Runs with upright posture that compromises efficiency at break points, limiting his explosiveness out of cuts and forcing too many contested catches.
- Fails to consistently work back to the quarterback when plays break down, too often waiting for the ball rather than helping his passer in scramble situations.
- Lacks elite short-area quickness after the catch, limiting his YAC potential despite his good size and functional strength.
- Shows inconsistent attention to detail at route completion - particularly on timing patterns like curls and comebacks - costing precious separation yards.
Scouting Report: Summary
The game tape reveals a receiver with the tools to carve out a specific role at the next level. Hudson's clear strength lies in his ability to win downfield, where his tracking skills and body control allow him to make plays most receivers simply cannot. The film consistently shows a wideout who understands how to defeat press coverage with sudden releases and stack corners vertically - creating legitimate big-play potential that will intrigue NFL evaluators.Hudson will need to lean heavily on his intermediate and deep route prowess while continuing to develop consistency in the short game. His background as a former quarterback manifests in how he reads coverages and manipulates defenders throughout his routes. While his 4.57 forty time won't scare anyone, his functional game speed and deceptive route pacing regularly put him in position to make some plays downfield. In a league that increasingly values explosive gains, Hudson brings a skill set that creates chunk plays without needing elite athleticism.
Teams will need to be patient with Hudson's development curve. The flashes of brilliance when working downfield (particularly on posts and deep crossers) contrast sharply with his frustrating concentration lapses on routine catches. His path forward involves mastering a specific route tree rather than becoming an all-around technician. A Day 3 selection with upside, Hudson can contribute initially in specialized packages while developing into a more complete perimeter option.
Kobe Hudson percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Kobe Hudson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
211.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
30.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.