Sam Hecht entered the 2026 NFL Draft from Kansas St. as a C prospect. CAR selected him in Round 5 with the 144th overall pick.
At C, the central evaluation points are recognition, leverage, anchor and interior movement.
His NFL development will depend on handling power while directing NFL protection calls.
His early opportunity is likely to come through depth and special-teams work, with a path to a larger role as his technique develops.