Terry Hodges

Physical Profile

At 6-0 to 6-1 and 180-185 pounds, Hodges has a lean, track-built frame with track-verified speed (11.0 100m) that shows up as second-gear acceleration through the second level. The height is slightly above the prototype for the position, giving him long strides and reach as a receiver, but the sub-185 weight is light for an every-down SEC role and will need to climb toward 200-205 to absorb interior contact. His frame projects to carry that added mass without sacrificing the burst and lateral quickness that define his game.

Play Style

Hodges is a one-cut, get-vertical back who wins with vision-to-burst rather than power. On film he reads his blocks, plants and accelerates to top speed quickly, and is dangerous in open space where his track speed pulls away from angles. He is comfortable detached or in the slot as a receiver and offers chunk-yardage on screens and swings. He led Bryant to a 12-0 regular season and a Class 7A state title game appearance as the offense's centerpiece, showing he can carry a heavy workload as the lead ball-carrier.

Strengths

• Elite long speed and burst — verified 11.0 100m translates to home-run ability; once he clears the line he maintains speed in stride through the second and third levels, a trait evaluators noted 'not many current tailbacks' possess
• Lateral agility and vision in space — excels at making defenders miss without losing momentum, pairing elusiveness with downhill tempo rather than dancing behind the line
• Three-down receiving versatility — a legitimate pass-catching threat out of the backfield (8 catches/142 yards/3 TD as a senior; 10/171/2 as a junior), plus special-teams coverage value that accelerates an early role

Areas to Improve

• Functional play strength and mass — needs to add 15-20 pounds to hold up in pass protection and survive between-the-tackles SEC volume; contact balance against bigger fronts is the biggest projection question
• Competition-level adjustment — his gaudiest numbers (1,896 and 1,752 yards) came at Class 2A Marked Tree before transferring up to 7A Bryant, where production dipped to roughly 900 yards; the SEC speed-of-game and tackler quality is another large step up

College Projection

Projects as a change-of-pace/complementary back as a true freshman with immediate value on kick coverage and in passing-down packages, where his speed and hands are plug-and-play. Realistic timeline to a featured or co-lead role is Year 2-3, contingent on adding mass. Evaluators specifically framed him as 'a perfect complement to the bruising tailback' — a profile that fits a committee before potentially earning lead-back touches.

NFL Outlook

As a 4-star with rare straight-line speed and three-down pass-game utility, Hodges carries developmental Day 3 / priority-UDFA upside if he tests as he plays and proves durable on a larger frame. His ceiling rises if college tape confirms the speed-in-pads is real against SEC defenders; the floor is a rotational scat-back/return specialist. Speed-and-receiving backs of his archetype have a clear NFL path, but the weight/contact-balance development is the swing factor on draftability.

Best Fit

A zone-based, tempo or spread offense that gets him to the edge and isolates him in space — outside/wide zone, RPO, and a healthy diet of swings, screens and motion-receiver usage. He maximizes in a committee that protects him from a 250-carry interior pounding early while leveraging his speed as the explosive element. Arkansas under Ryan Silverfield projects to pair him with a heavier back, which suits his complementary skill set well.