In the aftermath of the 2026 NFL Draft, like any other year, teams rushed to sign the best available players who didn't get their names called from Rounds 1 to 7. The Jacksonville Jaguars ended up signing 18 of such undrafted free agents. One of them stands out because he has ties to two-way star Travis Hunter and other Colorado Buffaloes on the roster.
Among the undrafted players the Jags locked up was former Colorado cornerback Preston Hodge. He joins former Buffaloes teammates Hunter, defensive end B.J. Green II, and safety Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig. The Colorado official account on Twitter posted the news, around the time Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 broke the signing.
Preston Hodge otw to Jacksonville 🙅♂️@NoLimitP3_ x @Jaguars#ProBuffs pic.twitter.com/yXDll5Zf4Q
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) April 26, 2026
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Why the Jaguars signed Preston Hodge as an undrafted free agent?
After re-signing Montaric Brown to a three-year deal worth $31.5 million just before free agency, the Jaguars didn't seemingly feel the need to take a cornerback early in the draft. This makes sense when you take into account that Travis Hunter will play defense full-time next season, while Jarrian Jones and Jourdan Lewis man the slot. Having said that, the team's brass couldn't pass up the chance to take a low-risk flyer on Preston Hogdge.
At 5'10", Hodge has adequate-not-great length to play in the boundaries. That said, his five interceptions and 31 passes defensed at Colorado make him an intriguing developmental prospect. Then again, there's a reason the consensus projected him to go undrafted: He's a limited athlete.
This could make it difficult for Hodge to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Working in his favor is that the Jaguars have yet to sort out the bottom of their cornerback depth chart. Depending on how many corners they carry in the season, they may have one or two spots up for grabs.
Keni-H Lovely, Keith Taylor, and Christian Braswell could be competing for those two spots. Hodge would need to make an impression in training camp to have a shot at passing them on the depth chart.
The truth is that Preston Hodge will have an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster and may have a better chance of landing in the practice squad. However, the fact that he'll join some of his former Colorado teammates could help him get acclimated quickly. This could, in turn, help him hit his stride faster and get an edge over other players in the offseason program.
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