From Purdue to the pros? Hudson Card chasing NFL dream
Hudson Card’s college career saw highs and lows. A standout prep career at Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) High School earned him a top-100 ranking, per On3, and he parlayed that into starting his career as a Texas Longhorn.
Card suited up in 22 games for the Burnt Orange, performing admirably. He completed 65% of his passes and tossed 11 touchdowns with just two interceptions, but the writing was on the wall. As Texas brought in Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers, Card opted to flip-flop with him and head north to Big Ten country.
Following a strong career from Aidan O’Connell, Purdue greeted the Texan with great fanfare, hoping he could kick start the Ryan Walters era by continuing strong quarterback play. But, nothing from the last two seasons went the way the Boilermaker faithful hoped.
There were strong moments. Card turned in dazzling performances late in 2023 to lead Purdue to victories over Minnesota and Indiana, providing optimism that it could launch a big 2024 campaign. And, after completing 96% of his passes in a season-opening beat down of Indiana State, all looked well. It was short-lived.
Instead, Purdue didn’t win another game. A leaky offensive line and inconsistency at receiver didn’t help matters, as Card completed less than 60% of passes and averaged just 162 yards per game through the air.
“We didn’t have the season we wanted to last year. Because of that, it’s going to affect my stock. But, you only get one shot at this, and it’s been in some of my dreams since I was a little kid. I’m just going to give it my best shot and see how the tables turn,” Card said.
The talent remains, though, and Card hopes he can earn him a shot at the next level. He participated in Purdue’s Pro Day and will seek a chance to prove himself in an NFL training camp this fall.
He trains in California working with quarterback coach Jordan Palmer and has followed a program sent to him by the Purdue strength training staff. Some last minute planning took place, as he didn’t want any current Purdue receivers to suffer an injury while running routes for him. Instead, he brought back former teammate Andrew Sowinski and received help from the Purdue equipment staff.
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Card participated in a meeting with his home-state Dallas Cowboys the night before Purdue’s Pro Day, and he spoke to several teams on the day of. And 31 of the 32 NFL franchises, all but Pittsburgh, came to West Lafayette to get eyes on Purdue’s pro prospects.
No stranger to combine training, Card felt that he threw the ball well and performed well in agility drills. While he felt confident entering the day, he admitted to feeling some jitters the night before Pro Day.
“I’ve done this a million times, but this time it’s in front of a different and more important crowd,” he said following Pro Day.
Through Card’s time in college, he’s built relationships with several players who now suit up on Sundays. Being able to reach out for advice and tips helped him stay confident entering the draft preparation cycle.
“It’s always smart to ask around and know what you’re walking into. Jordan Palmer has helped me a lot with that, and it’s always good to have a good circle to lean on,” Card said.
