Bills upgrade protection for Josh Allen in way-too-early 2026 mock draft

Kyle Crabbs mocks Buffalo an interior offensive lineman in the first round of 2026

Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Florida Gators offensive lineman Jake Slaughter (66) at the line of scrimmage against the Missouri Tigers during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

It's still 11+ months until the 2026 NFL Draft, but it's never too early to speculate.

Kyle Crabbs released his Way-Too-Early 2026 Mock Draft, which projects the Buffalo Bills to draft Florida interior offensive lineman Jake Slaughter with the No. 29 overall pick.

The 6-foot-4, 294-pound Slaughter will be a redshirt senior that started all 13 games at center for the Gators in 2024, earning first team All-SEC and All-American honors. He ranked fifth nationally among centers with a PFF offense grade of 81.1, and seventh in the country with a 79.0 run blocking grade.

Florida Gators offensive lineman Jake Slaughter (66), left and Florida Gators defensive lineman Desmond Watson (21), right, running a blocking drill Thursday. The University of Florida Gators held a Spring football practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 9, 2023 | Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Crabbs writes, "Bills center Connor McGovern is in a contract year in 2025. Is Sedrick Van Pran-Granger going to earn the Bills' trust enough from the bench to claim the long-term job if Buffalo doesn't re-sign McGovern?"

"If not, Slaughter is a sturdy blocker in the middle with less than 20 pressures allowed in the last two seasons (730 pass protection reps)."

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In addition to McGovern, left guard David Edwards will also be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, making interior offensive line a pressing need for next offseason.

Slaughter would be the second high-profile offensive lineman drafted recently out of Florida to the Bills, following O'Cyrus Torrence, a second round pick in 2023. Slaughter and Torrence were teammates on the Gators in 2022, along with UDFA and Bills practice squad member Richard Gouraige.

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79), Buffalo Bills guard O'Cyrus Torrence (64), Buffalo Bills guard Connor McGovern (66) and Buffalo Bills guard David Edwards (76) get ready to line up during first half action at the Bills home game against the New York Jets on Dec. 29, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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