Sportsvival continues its early look at the premier prospects projected for the 2026 NFL Draft, highlighting trench anchors who have developed into cornerstone pieces for top college programs. Today’s profile centers on Francis Mauigoa, Miami’s powerful right tackle whose blend of explosive strength, athletic mobility, and finishing aggression has made him one of the most versatile and dominant linemen in college football.
Francis Mauigoa — OT Miami — 6'6" 315 lbs
Background and Recruit Profile
High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL); five-star recruit and consensus top offensive line prospect in the 2023 class.
Recruit rating and trajectory: Mauigoa was the centerpiece of Miami’s 2023 recruiting class, choosing the Hurricanes over Alabama, Georgia, and USC.
Early impact: Earned All-ACC Freshman honors in 2023 after starting 13 games at right tackle. Followed up with a Second-Team All-ACC selection in 2024, cementing his reputation as a multi-year starter and future NFL talent.
Physical Profile and Measurables
Height/Weight: 6 ft 6 in; 315 lbs
Frame and length: Prototypical tackle build with thick lower body, strong core, and NFL-ready mass.
Athletic traits: Explosive off the line, fluid hip and ankle flexibility, and excellent second-level mobility. Mauigoa pairs elite hand strength with violent finishing ability, consistently generating movement at the point of attack.
College Career and Production
2023: 13 starts at RT; All-ACC Freshman Team
2024: 13 starts; Second-Team All-ACC
2025 (through 12 games): 2 sacks allowed, 3 QB hits, 9 pressures, 6 penalties
Strengths
Power and explosiveness: Defines his blocking identity; consistently overwhelms defenders with violent hands and torque.
Versatility: While excelling at right tackle, Mauigoa’s frame and skillset project smoothly to guard, giving NFL teams flexibility.
Run-game dominance: Generates displacement with lower-body drive; climbs effectively to linebackers and seals edges in zone concepts.
Balance and control: Rarely lunges; maintains hip/foot alignment in pass sets, preventing overextension.
NFL-ready mentality: Plays with aggression and finishing violence, contrasting with more technician-style tackles.
Weaknesses
Length concerns: Slightly shorter arm length than prototypical NFL tackles; may limit ceiling against elite edge rushers.
Penalty discipline: Needs refinement in hand placement to reduce holding calls.
Pass-protection range: Adequate but not elite; better suited to interior transition if NFL speed rushers exploit his edge.
Player Profile and Projection
Draft projection: Mid-late First Rounder
Role projection: Day-1 starter at right tackle or guard; ideal fit in a power or balanced blocking scheme.
Ceiling/Floor:
Floor is a multi-year starter with positional versatility.
Ceiling is a Pro Bowl-caliber interior lineman or franchise right tackle anchoring a playoff offensive line.
Pro Comparison
Primary comparison: Jonah Savaiinaea and Penei Sewell Mauigoa shares Sewell’s athletic fluidity but projects closer to Savaiinaea as a tackle-to-guard convert with elite strength and finishing aggression.
Sportsvival View
Sportsvival views Francisco Mauigoa as one of the safest and most versatile offensive line prospects in the 2026 class. His blend of raw strength, athletic mobility, and violent finishing makes him a scheme-flexible cornerstone. While his ultimate NFL home may be at guard, his ability to start immediately at tackle or inside gives him rare value. Continued refinement in pass protection could elevate him into the OT/IOL1 conversation and secure his place as a first round selection in April.
(photo courtesy of Canes Warning)