Original Content: Way Too Early Pre-Free Agency Mock Draft

It is a time of renewed hope. In 2026 this truly will be Hortiz's team, with only Tom Telesco's perhaps best draft class still under contract. After free agency and signings this will be a roster almost completely of Hortiz's construction, with few left over pieces.

I approached this draft with ONLY the current guys under contract in mind. I am NOT counting on resigning certain players set to hit free agency. I am NOT counting on signing free agents to fill gaps on the roster. I looked at who we have under contract for 2026, identified what I thought were our biggest holes, and went for BPA (Best Player Available) with team needs being a tie breaker when I had players weighted evenly. That being said, lets break it down!

Round 1: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

Widely considered the best IOL in the draft and a first-round talent, Ioane is a stud who should be a starter for a decade. At 6'4" 328 pounds, Ioane plays with impressive size and a mean streak that empowers him to bully even the best defensive linemen. Ranked the 15th best college football guard out of 683 by PFF, he showed an elite ability to both pass and run block over his sophomore and junior seasons in the Big Ten. While he played mostly LG, he also showed an ability to thrive at RG and would be an immediate improvement over Beckton.

Round 2: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

Luck befalls the Bolts as the 2nd best IOL in the draft falls right into their lap. Ranked by many as an early-to-mid 2nd round talent, Pregnon would be an absolute steal for the Bolts late in the 2nd round. An Oregon Duck, Pregnon would be welcomed with open wings by Herbert. He is a 6'5" 318 pound senior who was ranked as the 3rd best guard and best run blocking guard in college football by PFF. While more experienced than Ioane, he had a few below average games as a junior, but put it all together his senior year. Pregnon played almost exclusively at LG last season, with a few snaps at RG. He would be a day one starter at LG replacing Zion who hits free agency.

Round 3: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida

THE FOUR-EYED SAVIOR REPLACES BOZOMAN!!!! Slaughter is projected by many to be here in round 3 and is considered by most the 2nd best center behind Connor Lew of Auburn. I rank Slaughter as the better of the two and a 2nd round talent, so I am lucky he is still here while Lew is already off the board. Both centers allowed the exact same number of very few pressures in their three seasons starting. Many like Lew a bit more due to his age, being a junior, compare to Slaughter who is a red shirt senior. However Lew gave up one more sack, is an inch shorter than Slaughter, and did not grade nearly as well. Slaughter was ranked as the 8th best center out of 307 by PFF, 11th best pass blocker, and 3rd best run blocker. Both players performed well over the past two seasons, but Slaughter showed the most important ability – availability – while Lew missed multiple games this season. Jake Slaughter would likely have some growing pains, like most 3rd round offensive linemen, but he would be an instant upgrade over Bozeman and start on day one.

Round 4: Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, Michigan

It is round 4, and the pickings are getting slim. Likewise we have a massive hole at EDGE that needs to be filled with Oweh and Mack no longer under contract. There are no more every down guys in the draft we would want to start day one for the Bolts, so we need to go searching for depth with strong traits and upside. Barham fits that bill. At 6'3" 243 pounds, Barham needs to put on a little more muscle to make the impact we would prefer. Barham did not exhibit the ability to perform as a 3rd down pass rusher in the NFL, however he showed an elite ability to stop the run in the Big Ten, and would be a big asset on first and second downs. After an up and down sophomore season and a rough start to his junior year, Barham put it all together and excelled his last year and a half of college football. Will he provide the pass rush we need? Absolutely not. Will he be able to set the edge and stop us from getting destroyed with outside runs like when Mack was out and before Oweh arrived? Potentially.

Round 6: Bud Clark, S, TCU

In 2026 the only safeties we have under contract are DJ, Molden, Mickens, and Emany Johnson. In the 6th round we are searching for a diamond in the rough, and Bud Clark fits the bill. At 6'2" he would come in four inches taller than Molden. Ranked the 101st Safety in college football by PFF, he proved himself a good run defender and solid in coverage and on blitzes. His play was up and down, going from above average to average, but thankfully never poor. Clark could be a valuable special team contributor, and a backup who gives Mickens and Molden a spell on 1st downs when we expect the run.

What do you think? Would you be happy with this draft? What did you like most? What would you do differently?

I look forward to reading your thoughts, own mock drafts, and breakdowns in the future!