We continue scouting the 2026 NFL Draft draft class of the Dallas Cowboys by looking at the undrafted free agents. Today we are looking at wide receiver Jordan Hudson from SMU.
Jordan Hudson
WR
SMU Mustangs
Senior
4-star rating
6’1”
191 lbs
History
Jordan Hudson was a blue-chip recruit and ranked twelfth overall in the 2022 class. He had a well-documented commitment saga that included a prior Oklahoma commitment before ultimately signing with TCU.
In his freshman year, Hudson played in 14 games and led TCU freshmen in receiving
production with 14 catches for 174 yards and three touchdowns. His season included a pair of touchdowns against Iowa State and two catches for 34 yards in the CFP semifinal win over Michigan, and he flashed early with a five-catch, 76-yard game vs. Tarleton.
He transferred to SMU and appeared in all 14 games, posting 30 receptions for 425 yards and seven touchdowns, tying for the team lead in receiving touchdowns. The standout game in the team came at Temple where he had six catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns, and he had a season-long 67-yard catch versus Louisiana Tech.
In 2024, his role continued to expand and he had 39 catches, 422 yards, and five touchdowns across 14 games. His top single-game line was seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against Boston College.
In his fourth year fourth year he became the Mustangs’ featured target and produced career highs with 61 catches, 766 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games, earning All-ACC Third Team honors. His signature moments were big-game, high-leverage outings with games where he had 11 receptions and 131 yards versus the number ten ranked Miami, and 131 yards with a 70-yard touchdown in the win at Clemson.
2025 Statistics
605 Offensive Snaps
85 Targets
61 Receptions
766 Receiving Yards
79 Rec YPG
6 Total TDs
390 YAC
4 Dropped Passes
16 Missed Tackles Forced
35 First Downs
93.8 Passer RTG When Targeted
3 Penalties
Snap by Position
Wideout- 83%
Slot- 17%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
2025: Third-Team All-ACC
Scorecard
Overall– 52.1
Speed- 63
Acceleration- 60
Agility- 59
Strength- 60
Catching- 68
Ball Tracking- 87
Route Running- 70
YAC Skills- 73
Blocking- 48
Discipline- 86
THE GOOD
- Savvy short-to-intermediate separator
- Excellent spatial awareness
- Throttles down well in soft spots, adjusts to timing, and makes himself friendly on scramble drills
- Good ball tracking and concentration on deeper targets
- Competes well at the catch point
- Quick feet after the catch
- Shows to be a tough receiver who can work traffic areas and play through contact
- Shows good willingness and effort to block
THE BAD
- Lacks true NFL top-end
- Does not consistently shake tight man without help and struggles to separate solo
- He’s more build-up than sudden on hard stops and sharp breaks
- Role projection is narrow with his limited size and athleticism
- Doesn’t offer much separation insurance play after play
- He can track the ball, but without a clear second gear, he may struggle to consistently get on top of NFL cornerbacks to force safety rotation
- Not a big special-teams résumé
THE FIT/PROJECTION
Hudson’s best NFL fit is as a big-slot receiver who wins on glance routes, deep overs, crossers, slot fades and play-action shots, ideally with motion to keep him off heavy press and let his pacing and ball tracking do the work.
On the Cowboys roster, that role puts him squarely in the back-end roster battle. With multiple depth pieces already in front of him the most realistic projection is as a WR6 competition piece, with the most likely early outcome being practice squad unless he clearly outplays the veteran depth at camp.
SUMMARY
Jordan Hudson is not a one-trick burner, but a well-rounded target who keeps earning more responsibility. At SMU he grew into a featured option by 2025, showing the traits that translate in the NFL with controlled pacing into routes, the ability to find space against zone, and enough toughness at the catch point to win in the middle of the field. His best snaps come when he’s allowed to work as a big-slot type, where he can use tempo and body positioning to separate and then turn upfield with efficient YAC rather than relying on pure twitch. He’s productive, he tracks the ball well on verticals and deep overs, and he has the competitiveness to play through contact and keep making plays late in games.
The questions are more about ceiling than floor, it’s whether he has the rare gear and suddenness to consistently separate from NFL corners without help, and whether his route tree can expand beyond what he was asked to do most often in college. Put him in an offense that uses motion, stacks and layered route concepts to get him free releases, and Hudson looks like a reliable backup who can move chains, hit explosives off play-action, and be a steady, coach-friendly piece in the rotation.
PRO COMPARISON
Trey Quinn
BTB OVERALL RANKING
344th
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
321st
