Pats Pulpit
One offseason after adding the likes of Will Campbell and Morgan Moses, the New England Patriots kept adding to their offensive tackle group. But while Caleb Lomu naturally received most of the attention, the first-round draft pick was not the only player added to further bolster the position’s depth.
Among those brought aboard was a five-year veteran with extensive experience and swing tackle potential, former Brown and Giant James Hudson.
Name: James Hudson III
Position: Offensive tackle
Jersey number: 51
Opening day age: 27 (5/13/1999)
Measurements: 6’4 3/4”, 313 lbs, 10 5/8” hand size, 32 7/8” arm length, 80 7/8” wingspan, 5.34s 40-yard dash, 8.05s 3-cone drill, 4.81s short shuttle, 28 1/2” vertical jump, 8’2” broad jump, 22 bench press reps, 3.83 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Cleveland Browns (2021-24), New York Giants (2025), New England Patriots (2026-) | College: Michigan (2017-18), Cincinnati (2019-20)
A four-star defensive end recruit, Hudson received close to 20 scholarship offers out of Central Catholic High School in Toldeo, OH. His first offers came in as a junior, and he initially committed to play college football at Kentucky. However, he decommitted an uptick in interest during his senior campaign and eventually opted to join Michigan out of a group of programs that also included Alabama, Miami and Penn State, among others.
Upon arriving in Ann Arbor, Hudson changed positions and went from the defensive line to offensive tackle. As a consequence, he did not see any action during his 2017 freshman campaign and played only three contests in a reserve capacity as a sophomore the next year.
A lack of playing time was a contributing factor in his decision to leave the Wolverines at the end of that season, and he opted to transfer back to his home state, joining Cincinnati in December 2018. He remained at offensive tackle as a Bearcat, but due to the NCAA’s transfer rules had to sit out most of his first season with the new team. He returned next year, started 11 games, and was named first-team All-ACC — prompting him to forgo the remainder of his college eligibility to enter the NFL.
Hudson was selected 110th overall in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, joining the Browns as a backup OT. In that capacity, he went on to play 50 combined regular season and playoff games with 18 starts. While most of his action came on the right side, he also earned experience on the left. His versatility appealed to the Giants in free agency 2025, and he was signed to a two-year, $12 million deal by the club.
However, Hudson lasted only one two-start season in New York. He joined the Patriots on a one-year, $1.4 million pact in March 2026.
Strengths: While not posting the best testing numbers entering the NFL, Hudson is a good mover in open space who can work in zone and man blocking schemes. He gets to his landmarks efficiently, can climb to the...
