Pudewell attended
Oak Ridge High School in
El Dorado County,
California, where he played football as a tight end. As a high school senior, Pudewell committed to the
University of Nevada in February 2001. He played
tight end for the
Nevada Wolf Pack football team in the
Western Athletic Conference from 2003 to 2006. During the 2003 season, Pudewell caught 12 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. In a November 2004 game against the undefeated 2004 Boise State football team, Pudewell caught six passes for 96 yards. During the 2005 season, Pudewell caught 27 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. In 2006, he caught 17 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns and was selected to play in the
Hula Bowl all-star game in Honolulu. ==Professional career==