Panthers may have found their next Jalen Coker with sleeper WR addition

The Carolina Panthers have signed a handful of undrafted free agents following the NFL draft, and perhaps none are more intriguing than Central Florida wide receiver Kobe Hudson.

Hudson was unable to find a home over seven rounds, which is not too surprising given the superb depth of the wide receiver position in this draft class.

However, there is no denying Hudson's talent and production, as he just completed a 2024 campaign in which he caught 47 passes for 770 yards and four touchdowns. The year prior, he snared 44 balls for 900 yards and eight scores, averaging a robust 20.5 yards per catch.

Hudson's ability to extend plays in open space is certainly jarring given the fact that he does not possess great speed, laying claim to a 4.57-second 40-yard dash time. Guess what? That is identical to what Jalen Coker ran a year ago, and we see how that turned out.

Like Hudson, Coker went undrafted last April, but the Panthers scooped him up and watched him haul in 32 receptions for 478 yards while reaching the end zone twice during his rookie season. Not amazing numbers, but definitely eye-opening for someone who wasn't drafted.

Coker played in the slot for most of 2024, but at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a big-bodied target who registered a catch rate of just under 70 percent in his debut campaign.

Hudson isn't quite as big as Coker, but at 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, he is not exactly tiny, and he has already proven that he is a playmaker.

And for those who say that the 22-year-old feasted on inferior competition at UCF, it should be noted that Hudson actually began his collegiate career at Auburn in 2020 and actually logged 44 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns. That was in the powerful SEC.

Carolina is in serious need of weapons for Bryce Young, and while the Panthers did nab Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. in the draft, you can never have too many receivers. Hudson will definitely be competing for a spot in camp. Maybe he can forge a role much like Coker did last year.