Giants' first-round pick Francis Mauigoa comes with early injury concern

TL;DR

The New York Giants selected offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa in the first round, but he has a herniated disc injury that could require surgery and sideline him for up to three months. This injury raised concerns among teams, influencing draft decisions.

Key points

Giants selected Francis Mauigoa in the first round
Mauigoa has a herniated disc in his back
Surgery could sideline him for up to three months
Concerns about the injury influenced draft decisions
Mauigoa was the top-rated offensive lineman by most

Francis MauigoaDexter LawrenceJaxson DartNew York Giants

Giants' first-round pick Francis Mauigoa comes with early injury concern originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Giants followed up a terrific first-round selection of Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall by selecting Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa with the choice they received in the Dexter Lawrence trade with Cincinnati.

There is no doubt that the Giants need to address the offensive line in order to build a better unit in front of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. Mauigoa should push Jermaine Eluemenor for the starting right tackle position. However, this pick does come with some negative news.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported ahead of the draft that Mauigoa has been dealing with a herniated disc in his back. A surgery could sideline him for up to three months and stunt his development. While the injury is considered to be minor, it was at least a topic of discussion by some teams ahead of the draft.

One of those teams was clearly the Cleveland Browns, who opted to take Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano one pick ahead of Mauigoa. While Mauigoa was the top-rated offensive lineman by most, the Browns may have been scared off by this potential issue.