The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

SCOUT'S TAKE

Skinny: The knock on Hughes entering the draft will be his height, standing in at just 6’1 and his subpar speed (4.7-range). Skeptics should point no further than to Dwight Freeney as an example of an undersized end who has had success at the next level but the label will be hard to shed.

Stock: It will be interesting to watch how his draft stock plays out as we approach the draft. The fact that he’s a tireless worker could mean a monster senior season after registering 15 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss as a junior.

Our View: There is a high demand for speedy outside rushers in the NFL in order to combat the proliferation of spread formations. Hughes’s timed speed (4.7) isn’t special, but it doesn’t do him justice. His acceleration on the field make him an omnipresent presence in the opposition’s backfield. In fact, the converted running back has long arms that negate his less-than-ideal height. He also does a great job of sinking his hips low to the ground and driving his strength into the blocker. Hughes will be shifted to outside linebacker when he plays at the next level. Many are quick to point to the Frogs' Poinsettia Bowl against ninth-ranked Boise State, in which Hughes flashed big-time potential with a clutch sack at the end of game. With a solid senior season, he could vault into the late first round in 2010.

Quote of Note: "Coming from running back, you're more worried about scoring touchdowns and looking pretty," Hughes told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "As far as defense, you've got that mentality that you're just going to get nasty and go out there and hit somebody. It was hard to get my mindset right."

-- Jerry Hughes on converting from running back to defensive end coming out of HS

NEWS

Senior Bowl: TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes also opted to sit out this week's Senior Bowl and prepare for next month's NFL Combine in Indianapolis... teams are split on Hughes depending on their defensive scheme as some see him as a 4-3 DE and others a 3-4 OLB... so he is working on his speed, agility and wanting to workout at the best size/speed possible to avoid slipping on draft day... he is represented by CAA. – January 25, 2010

12.31.09 - Hughes, 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, was an all-district running back at Austin High School in Fort Bend, Texas, near Houston. Arizona State was among those recruiting him as a tailback, hoping he would join his former high school teammate Michael Jones as a Sun Devil. "He's certainly the best defensive player I've had in a long time," TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas said. "There's not very many people that have such a great get-off as far as rushing the passer. His first 2-3 steps can really unsettle an offensive lineman." Or as linebacker Daryl Washington said of playing behind Hughes: "It's way too easy. The way he comes off the ball is just unbelievable. If you can pressure the quarterback, it puts us in a good position to make plays that we probably wouldn't make if we didn't have a guy like that." –AZCentral.com

10.20.09 - TCU consensus All-America defensive end Jerry Hughes has been named one of 20 quarterfinalists for the Lott Trophy. Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. In its sixth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. Hughes is on pace to graduate this spring, in four years, with a degree in
communications. He is also extremely involved in the community. Among a myriad of activities, he has been a mentor at the Fortress Youth Development Center in Fort Worth. He has also routinely spoken to elementary and middle-school kids while volunteering at youth football clinics. A senior from Sugar Land, Texas, Hughes is one of 12 semifinalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award and one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.

10.17.09 - Recorded two sacks for a loss of 16 yards as part of four-tackle game. He now has 9.5 tackles for loss with eight sacks in six games and is on a greater pace for sacks per game (1.3) than last year (1.2) when he led the nation with 15. Places third on TCU with 31 tackles.

10.14.09 - TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award. The Rotary Lombardi Award is presented annually to college football's top offensive or defensive lineman who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi. Hughes, a 2008 consensus All-American, has already totaled 7 1/2 tackles for loss with six sacks in leading No. 8 TCU to a 5-0 record. His 27 overall stops place third on the Horned Frogs. Last year's NCAA sack leader with 15, Hughes is tied for fifth this season with an average of 1.2 per game. A senior from Sugar Land, Texas, Hughes opened the 2009 campaign with a career-high 11 tackles, including 2 1/2 for loss and 1 1/2 sacks, in a 30-14 win at Virginia. Hughes was named last week as one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. In 2008, he was one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation's top defensive player. Hughes is a communications major on pace to graduate this spring.

10.08.09 - TCU consensus All-American Jerry Hughes has been selected as one of 10
finalists for the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for football. After leading the nation in sacks (15) and forced fumbles (six) last season, Hughes is having another stellar campaign in 2009. Through four games, he has six sacks as part of 7 1/2 tackles for loss. His 26 total stops are second on TCU, trailing only linebacker Daryl Washington (33). Hughes, featured this week in Sports Illustrated, has been instrumental in TCU's 4-0 start to the season. The Horned Frogs, ranked ninth by the USA Today and 10th in the Associated Press Top 25, have their highest appearance in a poll this early in the season since 1959. To be eligible for the Lowe¹s Senior CLASS Award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior in the Football Bowl Subdivision and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence ­ classroom, character, community and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe¹s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide balloting begins immediately to determine the winner. Lowe¹s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award winner in early January. These 10 names will be placed on the Lowe¹s Senior CLASS Award football ballot for a nationwide vote beginning Thursday and concluding Dec. 6. Fan balloting is available on the award¹s official Web site (www.seniorCLASSaward.com) as well as through text messaging. Fans can text FOOTBALL to 74567 to vote for the finalists. These votes will be combined with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award. Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis was last year's recipient.

12.23.08 - With the score 17-13 in TCU’s favor, Boise St. was set to snap the ball from the TCU 12-yard line with approximately 5:30 left on the game clock. It was third-and-eight and ESPN’s Mark May set the tone by saying, “This is the time for the playmakers to make plays”. Before Boise St.’s freshman Kellen Moore was able to figure out where to go with the football, he was being engulfed by the Horned Frogs’ All-American defensive end, Jerry Hughes. Hughes was held in check for most of the night, though not necessarily by the Broncos’ offensive line, as Boise St.’s passing game consisted of mostly short, quick rotes. Moore did feel Hughes’ impact prior to the sack as the athletic junior end pressured the southpaw signal caller throughout the first half and got a few shots in. - College Football Insiders Poinsettia Bowl Notes

12.20.08 - Hughes didn't see much action his freshman season at TCU and notched 28 tackles with four for loss with one sack and one interception in 2007. This season, Hughes led the nation in sacks with 14; notched 18.5 tackles for loss, had two interceptions returning one for a touchdown and forced six fumbles. He was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-America honors. Hughes is a good edge rusher and would project as a Day One selection if he was to declare for the NFL Draft.

12.02.08 - TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes is among the six finalists for the 2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, announced today by the Ted Hendricks Foundation. Hughes, who is also one of five finalists for the 2008 Bronco Nagurski Trophy, tops the nation with a league-record 14 sacks and is tied for first with six forced fumbles this season. He is tied for eighth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 18.5 tackles for loss while placing among the top six with three fumble recoveries. Hughes also has two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. The junior from Sugar Land, Texas, anchors a TCU defensive unit that ranks No. 1 nationally in run defense (48.7 yards per game). The Frogs are also second in the FBS in total defense (215.1 yards per game), scoring defense (10.9 points per game) and sacks (41), and fourth in pass defense efficiency (96.1).

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