Francis Mauigoa underwent a medical recheck at the NFL combine to address a minor back issue that caused discomfort at the end of the season. The Arizona Cardinals are considering him for the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Arizona Cardinals have been connected to Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa for months as a potential target for them at the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Nothing has been said about any potential red flags with his health, but perhaps there should be one.
Per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Mauigoa decided to go to Indianapolis last week as part of the NFL combine health recheck.
He wanted to have imaging done on his back, as he had a minor issue that caused him discomfort at the end of the season, although he did not miss any games. He started 42 consecutive games to end his college career.
He doesn't need surgery and has no symptoms of it, although some teams requested further testing.
Rapoport notes that this is not expected to cause him to fall in the draft, but it will be something to watch.
After all, Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson, projected as an early first-round pick, fell to the 47th pick because of a supposed knee issue for which he had no symptoms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: 2026 NFL draft: OL Francis Mauigoa undergoes medical recheck
Share this article
Francis Mauigoa experienced a minor back issue that caused discomfort at the end of the season, but he did not miss any games.
He attended the recheck to have imaging done on his back as part of the evaluation process, although he does not need surgery.
The Arizona Cardinals have been connected to Francis Mauigoa as a potential target for the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.