Francis Mauigoa 2026 NFL Draft Profile: Everything you need to know about Giants' No. 10 pick

Prospect Overview

NFL.com: Highly touted prospect who met expectations as a durable three-year starter at right tackle. Mauigoa has a guard's broad build, but he moves like a tackle in pass sets. He’s highly experienced with an impressive football IQ that pops on tape. He has good contact balance and a strong core. He delivers firm first contact but excessive leaning diminishes not only his leverage and sustain as a run blocker but also his ability to deal with spin counters when protecting. He’s good at trapping rushers at the turn and can smother their momentum. He has the footwork, anchor and punch timing to diversify his pass-set approach. He works with an innate feel for pocket depth and is rarely out-paced to the top by speed. Mauigoa has a high ceiling but the leaning must be eradicated. He’ll be an early starter at right tackle but a move to guard could be on the table in the future.

Bleacher Report: Francis Mauigoa is a densely built blocker with very good play strength, point-of-attack power and a commanding anchor that can generate displacement in the run game and halt the bull rush. His range and redirect ability in pass protection grade closer to adequate, creating shorter corners once rushers gain width and exposing his inside shoulder to counters. Those limitations raise questions about long-term tackle viability, projecting him most cleanly as a solid-to-good starting right tackle with an even higher ceiling if eventually moved inside to guard.

Why Mauigoa makes sense for the Giants

Mauigoa was a three-year starter for a Miami offensive line that was among the best in college football from 2023-25. At tackle or guard, he has the positional versatility that the Giants need entering his first NFL season.

Connor's Take

The Giants went into the NFL Draft wanting to get a defender and help for Jaxson Dart. They got the first in linebacker Arvell Reese, who fell to them at No. 5. Then they looped back around and got Francis Mauigoa at No. 10.

The perfect situation for the Giants would have been a receiver. There are some questions regarding Malik Nabers' readiness for Week 1. Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson both went before No. 10, though, so New York pivoted.

Mauigoa, a tackle at Miami, expects to play guard with the Giants. He'll complete an offensive line that includes Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz and Jermaine Eluemunor.

NFL Comparison

Bleacher Report: Stronger Jermaine Eluemunor