An Inside Look At Rams UDFA: WR KhaDarel Hodge

Ed "Pi Double i" Henderson

WorldWide Rams

---

Who is the six-foot-two 205 pound KhaDarel Hodge?
As a prep, Hodge started at quarterback for the Mendenhall Tigers as a sophomore. During his junior and senior seasons, he compiled for over 3,000 passing yards and ran for over 2,000 yards, while scoring 68 touchdowns. Hodge was named to the Mississippi All-State Second Team Offensive Player by Clarion-Ledger and was named the 2013 Offensive MVP in the Benard Blackwell North/South All-Star  Classic.

Hodge started his collegiate career playing quarterback at Alcorn State as a freshman in 2013 but would transfer to Hinds Community College converting to a wide receiver. Recruited by Prairie View A&M where he committed to play in 2015. During his senior season, Hodge ​would break a school-record by recording 232 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Senior Day. On this day he would claim a Prairie View record that stood for nearly 50 years by Kansas City Chiefs great Otis Taylor of 198 receiving yards. He had a career-high with 48 receptions for 844 yards and 12 touchdowns.
​
Hodge finished third in the SWAC (Southwest Athletic Conference), with both in receptions and receiving yards, average 17.6 yards per catch which were second, and first in touchdown receptions Hodge was named to the All-SWAC First Team his senior year, as well as Black College All-America accolades from both BOXTOROW and SBN/Power News Radio Network. He would end his three-year Panther career at Prairie View with 104 receptions for 1,797 receiving yards and scored 21 touchdowns.
At Prairie View’s pro-day, Hodge was time at a unofficial 4.39 40-yard time, a 38 ½” vertical jump, and 15 reps of 225 pounds with the bench press.

---

Hodge went undrafted from the 2018 NFL Draft but was on the radar by a few teams. At 6’2”, he a good sized receiver with great speed and the ability to separate from defensive backs in the vertical game. He joins a crowded Rams receiving core that has the likes of Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Pharoh Cooper, and Mike Thomas.

Last season, the Rams supringsly kept seven receivers on the roster, the question will be, will they duplicate the same this season? If that is the case, the Rams traded Tavon Austin to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason and there maybe one slot left. 

Rams currently have two other UDFA recievers in Steven Mitchell and converted tightend Codey McElroy, and second year receivers Fred Brown, JoJo Natson, and Kendall Thompson.
​ 
Hodge has currently outshined the other receivers that are also fighting for a roster spot. He indeed has turned heads on the practice field with amazing acrobatic catches or making the difficult receptions.

In the first preseason game, Hodge would catch a touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens, ending the game with two receptions for 14 yards. In week two of the pre-season against the Oakland Raiders, Hodge would make an acrobatic catch from quarterback Sean Mannion for 47 yards. Hodge finished the game with two receptions for 57 yards, leading all receivers in yardage. 

Sean McVay indeed has spoken highly of Hodge and say that he's a fighter fighting for a roster spot. Other then JoJo Natson, when their number is called, the two have made the most of their playing time this preseason play.

RSS Feed