Francis Mauigoa, RT Miami: 2026 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Mauigoa was a five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. in the class of 2023

Miami Hurricanes right tackle Francis Mauigoa still needs to show improvement this coming season to lock down a top 32 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he ranks among the most promising offensive linemen in the class. His technical development just needs to catch up to his physical development.

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Francis Mauigoa, RT Miami: 2026 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior right tackle from Ili'ili, American Samoa

Background: Mauigoa was a five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. in the class of 2023. He was the No. 9 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 17 for Rivals, and No. 12 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 6th in the nation with a 92 grade out of 100. Mauigoa began his high school career at Aquinas Catholic High School in San Bernardino, Calif. before spending a year at Tafuna High School in Tafuna', American Samoa. He arrived at IMG Academy as a junior, when he earned 2021 MaxPreps Junior All-American honors at right tackle. Mauigoa earned Under Armour All-America Game and Polynesian Bowl invitations. He also played club volleyball growing up. He has two brothers with NFL ties. Frederick Mauigoa played center for Washington State and briefly spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals. Francisco Mauigoa played linebacker at Washington State and Miami and was a fifth round pick for the New York Jets in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Injuries & Off-Field: Temporarily exited 2023 Georgia Tech game

Awards: 2023 Honorable Mention All-ACC, 2023 Freshman All-American (FWAA, 247Sports), 2024 Second Team All-ACC

Pros: Freaks List inclusion, played left tackle as a high school senior, thick frame, quick out of his stance with sudden slide, jump set takes air out of the rush, quick and nimble footwork, nimble feet to mirror pass rushers, range in pass pro to work the full arc, remains square to defenders and drives them around the pocket, deploys a wide base and stout anchor, re-anchors against speed to power, flexibility when re-anchoring, retracts hands to avoid chops, swats and chops away the rusher’s hands, arresting grip strength, core and upper body strength to torque defenders out of their gaps, quick to redirect and pick off crashing threat in run game, impressive movement skills for a tackle, good open field speed, mobility for gap runs, comfortable working to the second level, creates run lanes for chunk plays on angle blocks

Cons: Penalized 14 times over the past two seasons, arm length appears average at best, needs more depth in kick step vs. wide alignment rushers, some waist bending and overextending in pass pro, forward lean exposes outside shoulder, beaten through B-gap by spins or inside counters because late to redirect inside, struggles to regain control when he loses the leverage battle poorly, lacks elite anchor, some struggles against Ashton Gillotte’s power (2024), occasional whiffs on two-handed punches leave him overextended, some high hand placement, strike timing is inconsistent, late to redirect for linebacker blitzes, sometimes chases his man on stunts, failed to diagnose some stunts, mistakes on stunts and blitzes, body positioning doesn’t always shield the ball carrier, feet stagnate on some run blocks, fell forward and whiffed vs. club-swims in run game, defenders slip past or win through his inside shoulder in the run game, not a natural displacer, late hands make him easier to stack and shed in run game, stacked at LOS too often

Overview: Mauigoa is a thickly framed lineman with questionable arm length for an NFL offensive tackle. He quickly gets out of his stance before using his nimble footwork and sudden slide to mirror pass rushers. He occasionally uses his impressive jump set to forcefully shut down pass rush reps early in plays. Mauigoa’s footspeed helps him work the full arc in pass protection, remaining square to defenders and driving them around the pocket. However, poor technique with his kick step makes him vulnerable to wide-alignment rushers. Mauigoa doesn’t gain ideal depth with his initial step, which softens rush angles for bendy or wide rushers. Waist bending and overextending while attempting to initiate contact also weaken his outside shoulder. The junior is late to redirect to protect the B-gap. He displays a sturdy anchor with the strength to re-anchor against speed to power and flexibility to contort his body while absorbing power without losing ground. Despite these traits, Mauigoa lacks an elite anchor and suffered some significant losses when he faced power rushers who won the leverage battle in 2024. Mauigoa is starting to develop feints and ways to bait out the defender’s hand to bombard them with swats and chops, but his two-handed punch still causes him to whiff or overextend at times. His strike placement and timing need refinement. The former five-star recruit’s grip strength dominates opponents when he clamps down with proper timing. Mauigoa’s play recognition and discipline need another year’s worth of snaps to continue developing. He misdiagnoses or is late to recognize stunts and delayed blitzes. His physical freakishness shows up as he torques defenders out of gaps in the run game or quickly redirects to pick off crashing threats. His movement skills and open field speed jump off the tape. It’s rare to find an offensive tackle his size with his athletic profile and mobility in space. These traits make Mauigoa a scheme-transcendent option in the run game. There’s still room for him to improve as a run blocker. His feet sometimes stagnate, allowing defenders to gradually slip past him. Mauigoa possesses the build to move defenders off the line, but he’s not a natural displacer and suffers from too many losses at the line of scrimmage. An elevated pad level, late hands, and inconsistent balance are the culprits behind these frustrating moments.

Overall, Mauigoa is an impressive mover at his size, making him a multi-scheme fit in the run game and a rangy pass protector. He’s still a raw prospect who needs to make significant adjustments to his hand usage, improve his processing speed and awareness, and fully unlock his power in the run game. Mauigoa projects as a top 40 pick if his growth trajectory continues.

Role & Scheme Fit: Scheme transcendent right tackle or right guard

Round Grade: Early Second Round

Size: 6'6", 315 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 05-19-25