Sam was a big winner over the summer, earning offers from the D1 and D2 levels. He has carried that momentum into a strong senior season at the midway point. Sam is a technically sound athlete at OT. He does a great job using his length in pass pro, making first contact, controlling the man once he clamps those powerful mitts onto them, and also showing quick feet to be able to stay square in front of them as to not draw holding penalties. You see the same sound technique in the run game too. All about staying balanced and never reaching. Trusting his feet and length to get him where he needs to be on time and then overpowering them when he gets there. Big things are ahead for Sam. He is currently one of the 10 best uncommitted senior OL in Wisconsin.

Everywhere Sam attends he makes a positive impresssion. We have already seen him at three camps this summer, and every one of them has gotten us more and more excited because of the consistently good play that he shows off. The 6’3″ 283 lbs 2026 has a 6’6″ wingspan making him one of the biggest athletes in attendance. That size quickly caught your eyes, but it was his technique that made you watch him rep after rep. The big man has excellent strength within his anchor that quickly stuffed bull rush attempts and that same lower body strength allowed him to bulldoze DL out of the trenches when he got his hands clamped on in the run game. Offers are coming in with the strong early performances too. That includes a recent offer from UNI at their camp just a couple days after the UWEC camp. It is great to see his strong traits continue to shine.

In a very deep offensive line group Sam was able to stand out and make his presence known. The 1 on 1 environment and the drill work were the perfect stage for Sam. The ’26 OL proved to be a technician. It was very obvious that he has been putting in the work this offseason and we got a front row seat to watching it translate to the field.

During the 1 on 1s I made sure to spend a lot of time with the OL/DL and that is where Sam secured his MVP. The dude was always in a position of power, ready to make that initial punch and then mirror his opponent or set a strong anchor. That anchor strength he flashed along with powerful hands was that of a high-end OL. He was able to use leverage to stand bull rushing DL straight up. When they tried to beat him side to side the big man so easily could slide his feet to mirror them. It was also very clear that Sam was confident in his abilities in those situations as I never saw him reach or overextend. He was patient and powerful. Things are due to really start to ramp up for him recruiting-wise.

Another standout OL ready for that first offer is Hartford’s Sam Johnston Sam Johnston 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL/DL Hartford Union | 2026 State WI . Sam is so well rounded with his OL skillset. He is an athlete that puts in year round work and it translates to the field. In pass protection, Sam is smooth and efficient, using his length to make first contact and gain control of his opponent. His feet get him plenty of depth while staying square and balanced under him. Plus his power to set his anchor is looking ready for the next level. That same power shines in the run game as he gets into the chest in a position with leverage and plows his man off the line. Big things ahead for Sam. His time is coming.

Another OL that is ready for a breakout summer is Hartford’s Sam Johnston Sam Johnston 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL/DL Hartford Union | 2026 State WI . The 6’4″ 275 lbs athlete has a solid collection of building blocks within his game to continue to build upon. In pass protection Sam has proven to be a fluid athlete. One that can get good depth and also mirror the change of direction and counter moves of an edge rusher. In the run game Sam does well winning with leverage, getting underneath his opponent and bulldozing them out of gaps. There is a strong base of power throughout Sam’s game on top of his leverage and athleticism. He is putting in the work and getting out to plenty of visits as well. Only a matter of time until things start to pick up steam for him.

One of the top linemen in the Class of 2026 came out to the Showcase and proved that he is even better than he was in the spring. Sam is 6’5″ 272 lbs with a 6’7″ wingspan and 10.5″ hands. All excellent size metrics for the junior lineman. Even more impressive, Sam had a Top 3 L-Drill time among all OL at the showcase. That was one step in proving how well rounded the junior’s game is. He can do the athletic things, mirroring athletic pass rushers out at OT, getting great depth vs speed, and easily overpowering his opponent if they let him get into their chests. Sam is an OL that can win with power or athleticism. He checks a lot of the boxes you look for in a top OL recruit. Get this kid high up on your radars.

Hartford wanted to establish the run and Sam was happy to help based off his Week 1 film. We saw Sam be used on quick pulls up to level two showing off quick feet and overall range. Sam also dominated in the trenches with single or double teams. His strength jumps off the tape. From his leg drive to his hands. In every highlight it seems like he is literally running the DL off the line because he is able to overpower them so quickly and create that push and movement in the trenches. Sam is going to be a riser in his Class. He has the size, strength, and a strong base of technique to constantly win at the position.