Yoshawn Hudson

Physical Profile

Listed at 5-11, 195 lbs. Taller than 54% and heavier than 29% of 2027 Running Back prospects in the SEC Scouts database (24 with a listed size).

Play Style

Hudson is a one-cut, speed-to-the-edge back. His production comes from getting to the second level quickly and outrunning angles, not from sustained physical inside running. He is a real threat in open space as a receiver. His defensive background shows up in how he runs: he reads leverage well and runs with a DB's quickness in his feet and hips. His film is mostly against 3A opponents, so how well he runs through contact and his inside vision are projections rather than proven traits.

Strengths

• Big-play production: 9.5 yards per carry on 162 carries (1,544 yards, 22 TD) in 2025. A back who averages nearly 10 yards a carry is breaking long runs regularly, not just picking up yardage behind his line.
• Explosive athleticism backed by track results: a state long jump title at 3A shows real lower-body power and the ability to accelerate, which fits the reported 4.3-range speed.
• Useful as a receiver: 17 catches for 324 yards (19.1 per catch) and a TD as a junior. He can be split out wide or used on screens instead of only coming off the field on passing downs.
• Plays defense well too: 42 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 8 pass breakups and 1 INT as a junior, and he started at cornerback as a freshman on Winona's 2023 state championship team. That points to toughness, awareness in coverage, and a fallback at safety or cornerback if running back doesn't work out.

Areas to Improve

• Level of competition: his numbers came against small-school (3A) defenses. He needs to show he can make defenders miss and push forward after contact against SEC-caliber linebackers, where the running lanes he sees at Winona won't exist.
• Pass protection and grip on the position: two-way players who spend time at DB usually arrive raw at recognizing blitzes and blocking in pass protection. That will decide whether he earns third-down snaps early.
• Running between the tackles and ball security under heavy use: he is built to hit the edge and break long runs. He needs to show patience, work through tight inside runs, and keep his vision on the 20-25-carry workload Power 4 programs will expect.

College Projection

Most likely a rotational change-of-pace or speed back in the first two years, plus a kick returner right away if his speed holds up in college testing. That leads to a shot at a larger share of carries in Year 2 or 3 once he adds 8-10 pounds and gets better in pass protection. At a Group of 5 or lower-tier Power 4 program (Cincinnati, Houston, USF, Virginia) he could see the field meaningfully as a freshman. At an SEC program he projects as a Year 2 contributor. His defensive tape keeps a move to safety or nickel open if running back gets crowded.

NFL Outlook

Long-term NFL prospect, not a projected high pick. His realistic path is a Day 3 or undrafted-free-agent running back or returner whose value depends on verifying elite testing speed (sub-4.45 laser-timed) and becoming productive as a receiver. His value as a returner and on special teams makes him more likely to make a roster. Draft stock depends heavily on proving his speed and playing time at the Power 4 level.

Best Fit

A spread, tempo-based offense that uses outside zone and gets the ball to its backs in space (screens, swings, lining up in the slot), where his burst and receiving skills matter more than running through contact inside. Examples are Jeff Lebby's system at Mississippi State (which recruited him hard and still has a relationship with him) or similar spread offenses at Houston, Cincinnati or USF. Ideally a room where he can be the speed complement to a bigger back early, with a clear path to returning kicks.