CINCINNATI STORY ON HUDSON

NEW YORK - After an 11 year draught Eastern Illinois has once again had a player selected in the National Football League draft as offensive tackle Otis Hudson was selected with the 21st pick of the 5th round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Hudson was the first player from the Ohio Valley Conference to be drafted this season.

Hudson is a 6-5, 321 lb., right tackle was a two-year starter for the Panthers after beginning his career at the University of Minnesota. Hudson graded out at 82 percent as a junior right tackle with 15 decleater blocks. As a senior he again graded out at 82 percent with 22 decleater blocks as he played the second highest number of snaps on the offensive line. Hudson played high school football at Barrington (Ill.) High School.

Hudson becomes the first player to be drafted out of EIU since Chris Watson was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 draft by the Denver Broncos. He becomes the second EIU player to be drafted by the Bengals joining Jeff Christensen who was selected in the 5th round of the 1983 draft.

Through the first five rounds of the 2010 NFL draft only two OVC players had been selected with Murray State's Austen Lane going with the 22nd pick of the 5th round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

EIU currently has two players active on NFL rosters in Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo and Kansas City Chiefs back-up linebacker Pierre Walters. The Panthers also feature three alumni as NFL head coaches in Sean Payton (New Orleans), Mike Shanahan (Washington) and Brad Childress (Minnesota).