Since joining the Las Vegas Raiders, center Rodney Hudson has been the offensive line’s stalwart. Recently, ESPN ranked him as the sixth-best interior offensive linemen in the NFL.
The undisputed anchor of the Raiders offense, Hudson has been the glue that holds together the entire unit. Arguably the best free-agent former general manager Reggie McKenzie signed, Hudson has consistently been of the league’s best offensive linemen despite a lack of national attention.
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Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently started a series of articles that look to find the top ten players at eleven positions. As far as Hudson’s concerned, he was the six-best in the top ten for interior offensive linemen.
Rodney Hudson, Simply The Best…
For Raider Nation, it’s no shocker as they’ve become familiar with Hudson’s sheer dominance in the trenches. For example, Pro Football Focus has Hudson graded with the highest single-season pass-blocking grades for centers since 2010. McKenzie rightfully gets a lot of criticism for many terrible personnel decisions, Hudson turns out was a genius move.
Highest single-season pass-blocking grades for centers since 2010
1. Rodney Hudson, 2019
2. Rodney Hudson, 2017
3. Rodney Hudson, 2018
4. Rodney Hudson, 2015
5. Rodney Hudson, 2016 pic.twitter.com/IZ9l06NIA7— PFF (@PFF) May 14, 2020
Looking back, the fact Hudson is the only remnant of the once-proud juggernaut known as “Carr Insurance” is quite astounding. One of the primary reasons the 2016 Raiders were so successful, that unit was one of the biggest and meanest offensive lines ever assembled for the Raiders. Fast forward to 2020, Hudson and Gabe Jackson are all that is left which is to say they’ve been seen as “essential” by Raiders’ brass. Barring major injury or a sudden decline in play, Hudson figures to continue being the offensive anchor and true leader of the Raiders offense.
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*Top Photo: Gail Burton/Associated Press
