Round 4 Pick 131: Genesis Smith, Arizona Safety

Grade: B

Genesis Smith is the epitome of a center fielder, possibly the best pure “ball hawk” in the draft. He is extremely rangy and plays to every inch of his 6’2 frame. Smith is immediately NFL-ready when it comes to his ability to disrupt passing lanes, cover ground and make plays on the ball in the air.

Where Smith struggles greatly is in the tackling department, giving Bolts fans flashbacks of JT Woods, another late-round safety that flashed all of these skills but was such an inconsistent tackler he found himself unplayable at the NFL level. Smith missed 34 tackles in the 2025 campaign, a staggering number that needs to be ironed out before he can see the field for Chris O’Leary’s unit.

Round 5 Pick 145: Nick Barrett, South Carolina DT

Grade: C+

Adding to the list of run-stuffing interior defensive linemen in the Bolts' stable, Barrett is far from a sexy pick that will make noise come training camp or will excite the masses. He has the tools to contribute as a purely rotational run stopper, but in a room with Teair Tart, Dalvin Tomlinson, Jamaree Caldwell and Justin Eboigbe, he’s nothing more than a depth piece for now (as expected for a 5th-rounder), but does not exactly show the long-term ability to develop as a pass rusher. This pick would have been much better used on a player who has a pass-rushing foundation that could be molded into an NFL contributor, similarly to Eboigbe in 2025.

Round 6 Pick 202: Logan Taylor, Boston College OG

Grade: B-

Logan Taylor is listed as a guard, but has high-level experience at every offensive line position but center. A Mike McDaniel-style lineman, very athletic, strong in space, and who fits the wide zone run scheme well. Taylor’s durability and versatility are exactly what can carve him a role and a pretty wide open Charger’s offensive line room. Don’t be surprised if he finds himself in the Jamaree Salyer role, slotting in almost everywhere if the Chargers find themselves scrambling with their offensive line combinations, similarly to last season.

Round 6 Pick 206: Alex Harkey, Oregon OG

Grade: A-

Alex Harkey could find himself having a better NFL career than his collegiate career. A Right Tackle during his time with the Oregon Ducks in 2025, he was, in all likelihood, the weakest link of one of the best offensive line units in all of college football. He was announced as a guard when drafted by the Chargers and projects to compete there with the Bolts due to his shorter arm length. There’s plenty to enjoy when watching Alex Harkey; he is mean and a bully when he gets his hands on someone, and he relishes the opportunity to bury smaller defenders when he finds himself in space. He moves extremely well and possesses an active mentality, always looking for work when there’s nothing directly in front of him.

I found myself enjoying watching Harkey’s tape once I came to terms with the fact that he is not an NFL tackle, and I could see the full-blown transition to guard being a catalyst for a possible steal in the Bolts' final pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.