Why Detroit should take Francis Mauigoa at pick 17 in 2026 NFL Draft

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 08: OL Francis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes lines up during the Miami Hurricanes versus Ole Miss Rebels College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, which is crazy to think. Usually, the offseason drags on, but this year has felt different, despite the Detroit Lions not making the playoffs in 2025. After making it in back-to-back seasons, the Lions took a step back last year. One reason for that was the lack of talent and depth on the offensive line, which is what the team has set as its foundation for success.

This offseason, the team made moves to improve that, releasing center Graham Glasgow and, after failing to agree on a contract adjustment, releasing left tackle Taylor Decker. Their biggest move in the offseason was the signing of center Cade Mays to upgrade the interior, and the addition of right tackle Larry Borom to compete for a starting job. The team made other moves on the offensive line, but even with the Borom signing, it still feels like offensive tackle has to be the team’s first move in the draft this season.

Enter the top tackle: Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa would be an instant starter on this team and give the offensive line its swagger back. While he could go off the board earlier, if he’s available at pick 17, the Lions must continue to frustrate commissioner Roger Goodell and make the pick seconds after being on the clock.

Previously:

• Why the Lions should draft LB Jacob Rodriguez

Why the Detroit Lions should draft Miami FL OT Francis Mauigoa

Character fit

Growing up in American Samoa, your chances of playing professional football are bleak compared to those who live in one of the 50 states. Raised in ‘Ili’Ili, Mauigoa did a lot with the little he had. He told the NCAA he remembers players using cut-up slippers as pads for knees and thighs, and not enough mouthpieces for everyone, forcing them to share. The players and coaches improvised with what they had, and Mauigoa wants to fix that for future generations.

“I’m working on ways to help solve that,” said Mauigoa.

One thing he did do while at Miami was work with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. He and his brother, Francisco, ran a Miami-themed merchandise campaign, donating 100% of the profits to the charity.

“For us, being able to be partnered with the Ronald McDonald House means a lot to us because we want to make sure we help out and (are) using our platform to our full advantage to help out those in need,” said Mauigoa on Instagram.

Mauigoa is a big believer in things like character and humility, and back in March 2025, he attended the NCAA Elite Student-Athlete Symposium for Football while his brother was working out at the NFL Combine. At the event, Mauigoa learned about how to prepare for life as a professional, financial literacy, and what it takes to be a leader.

“One of the main lessons that I learned was you have to be wise with your decisions,” Mauigoa said. “Everything is up to you.”

Attending the event, his beliefs were reinforced as he learned that NFL teams look at more than just the player on the tape. They want to learn about the person underneath the pads and the helmet. They care about your answers to questions, how you portray yourself and how you treat others. With his close-knit family, his childhood in ‘Ili’Ili, and the actions he’s done at Miami, it’s clear as day he has a high character that teams should want on their team.

Scheme fit

Lining up at right tackle for his entire career at Miami, he gives the Lions a few options on what to do with him. Current right tackle, Penei Sewell, played left tackle at Oregon during his career but moved to right tackle after being drafted. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he’d like to move Sewell back to left tackle so Mauigoa could slide to his natural position and Sewell could move back to his spot, too.

When it comes to his game, Mauigoa is mostly what the Lions are looking for in a tackle. While his run blocking could improve, his pass blocking is where he shines, and it’s improved every year. In his first year at Miami, his pass-blocking grade per PFF was 64.8, allowing 23 pressures, 15 hurries, and five sacks. The next year, he got the grade up to 72.2 with 19 pressures allowed, 17 hurries, but one sack allowed. In his final year, his grade improved to an 87, allowing 15 pressures, nine hurries, and two sacks.

At 6-foot-5 and 329 pounds, Mauigoa is a big body that knows how to use all of it. He’s got power and control of it to keep the defenders in front of him and contained. If he’s given space for the screen game, he can keep his side held up if it’s going the other way, or if he has to be the lead blocker, he looks for his next victim. Also, we know the Lions like to use their offensive tackles in creative ways, as we’ve seen with Sewell, who says Mauigoa can’t compete with him as a receiver.

Another good thing about Mauigoa is his hand placement. Defenders are constantly trying to figure out what his next move is going to be. He can use his hands to bait defenders into making a mistake, and when he does, he takes full advantage of it. Mauigoa can withstand the initial bullrush from opponents due to his size and can pull up on defenders to move them out of the way.

Weaknesses

While Mauigoa has plenty of strengths, he does have some question marks to his game. One big flag for some is his medical history, getting bilateral shoulder surgery after his freshman year. While he didn’t miss any time due to it, having a big surgery like that after just one year of college play can be concerning. He recently had a medical recheck on his back, something that he said bothered him near the end of the season. The checks came back positive, according to Mike Garafolo, so that should be a non-issue, but for some it could be. We know Lions general manager Brad Holmes loves a good injury story.

Then there’s his run blocking. According to PFF, his run-blocking grades were up and down during his time, getting a 70.7 in 2023, downgrading to a 68.1 in 2024, and then a career-high 77.1 in 2025. The Lions value the running game heavily, and having someone who can excel in that is something they might prefer over pass protection.

His other big sticking point for some is his arm length. While it can hurt some, for others, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. Remember people saying Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson had small arms and that would hurt his game? I don’t personally put a lot of stock in that, but for some, it could be considered a weakness. That leaves some to believe he could be a better guard than tackle. The Lions adding another good guard as a worst-case scenario isn’t a bad problem to have, but it still leaves question marks at a key spot on their line.

Overall

For me, Mauigoa is the top tackle in this draft class. His chances of being available at pick 17 are low, but they’re higher than they were a few months back. Mauigoa didn’t perform at the NFL Combine, but did show up at the Miami pro day. Other tackle stocks have risen between then, with players like Kadyn Proctor and Monroe Freeling moving up after a strong showing at their pro days and the NFL Combine. If that media hype reflects reality, Mauigoa could slip down the board.

What also could help are the chances of players like running back Jeremiyah Love, wide receivers Jordyn Tyson and Omar Cooper Jr, and even quarterback Ty Simpson getting taken before pick 17. While Love was projected to be a top-10 pick already, there are inklings that he could be taken even earlier, which could shake up the draft. Also, a quarterback-needy team might want to jump ahead of some others and take a chance on Simpson.

I didn’t expect Mauigoa to be an option months ago, but now I think the possibility of him being there is likely. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Lions traded up a few spots to get ahead of others to ensure he’s on their roster before someone else jumps in front of them. Overall, I think he would be a fantastic fit for the team, as a person and as a player. He would make me feel a lot better about the tackle position, and perhaps he could be the next great tackle for the Lions.