The New York Giants were ecstatic to land Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa 10th overall in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Giants wanted the big mauler to add size and physicality to their offensive line. They got their wish, and Mauigoa has already come in with the mentality of a leader.
“I’m going to work my butt off to the standard,” he said, “and hopefully uplift that standard.”
Mauigoa certainly seems to share a mentality with right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
“He’s a cool guy,” Mauigoa said. “We’re excited
about each other. Can’t wait to move people.”
The two will be working closely together. Even though Mauigoa played right tackle in college, he’ll be next to Eluemunor at right guard. Fortunately, guard isn’t an unfamiliar position.
“Coach Mirabal (Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal) believed in knowing all the positions,” Mauigoa said. “It makes sense. If you play all the positions, you make yourself valuable. Also, if you play right tackle, right guard, center, you know everything, you know everybody’s job, and it makes it easier for you versus playing at one position.
Practiced in some practices in the spring ball, fall — summer workouts. I was practicing at guard.”
There were some questions as to whether Mauigoa would be better at guard or tackle in the NFL. There are, of course, differences between the two positions. The game is faster inside, but he also doesn’t have as much going to cover.
“I don’t have that much space to work with,” he said. “Playing at tackle, you have all the space, where a guard everything happens so fast. It’s not something I really need to work on, it’s something that I need to get used to.”
In what might be an interesting twist of fate, Mauigoa has been working with a former Giants’ offensive lineman, Jon Feliciano, in preparation for the NFL and the speed of the pro game.
“He’s very smart at what he does,” Mauigoa said. “Jon has put a lot of knowledge of the game into me.One of the things he said to me that stood out to me is the game goes fast. There’s just level speed to each level. High school, there’s level speed, college is different level speed, and NFL will be top level speed. Every day you’ve got to elevate your speed.”
Mauigoa will get plenty of practice when it comes to playing fast. The Giants have assembled a one of the (if not the)ost athletic defensive fronts in the NFL. That, of course, includes fellow first round pick Arvell Reese.
Reese and Mauigoa are pretty familiar with each other, considering the two faced off when Miami played Ohio State in the College Football Playoffs.
Reese certainly seems to have left an impression.
“I saw this guy’s film when we were preparing for them,” Mauigoa said. “He’s one of the hardest workers, as you can see on the field. He’s always around kicking the ball, and sometimes I slip in some comments to him. He’s definitely going to be one of the top impact [players] on defense.”
The two were opponents then, but they’re bonding as teammates now.
“Yeah, you know, we’re cool,” He said. “We’re buddies. We left the past in the past. I’m the type of player to chase guys. So I chase him down and slip him a comment like, you remember this?”
Cameras captured a fun moment between the two in the Giants’ locker room the day after they were drafted. They were posing with their jerseys, with Mauigoa smiling while Reese maintained a stone face.
“Smile bro, you’re happy,” Mauigoa said.
“I am who I am. He is who he is,” Mauigoa said of the interaction. “We’re teammates. We’re teammates. We’ve got to be there for each other and look out for each other. Those type of things, it’s just humor. Just trying to bond and be the best teammates that we can be because we came in here together with the mindset to win. If we’re going to do that, we’ve got to have a strong bond.”
