Las Vegas Raiders: Top-25 players of the Derek Carr Era
No. 6: Rodney Hudson, C (2015-2020)
Going into his second season in the NFL, and fresh off a solid rookie campaign, the Raiders franchise knew they needed to get Derek Carr a steady presence at the center position. They did not have to look far to get him one, either, as they went with an AFC West rival in Rodney Hudson, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the Raiders, Hudson became arguably the best center in the game, serving as an anchor for an offensive line that was loaded with Pro Bowl talent. However, while guys like Donald Penn, Kelechi Osemele, and Gabe Jackson were solid, Hudson was on another level, going to three straight Pro Bowls, while also being named second-team All-Pro.
Truth be told, Hudson did not get enough national love in terms of the All-Pro teams, as he could have easily been named first-team multiple times. Hudson would be traded away in the 2021 offseason to the Arizona Cardinals and has not enjoyed the kind of success he had as Carr’s center during a crucial period of the young quarterback’s career.