Standout Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa is leaving UM early to enter the NFL draft, he announced Thursday.
“(To) the University of Miami, thank you for giving me the best (three) years of my life,” Mauigoa wrote in an Instagram post. “Coach (Mario) Cristobal and coach (Alex) Mirabal, thank you for giving me a once in a lifetime opportunity. The hard work and the culture y’all have instilled in me are something I will carry on for the rest of my life. ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’
“To my teammates who became brothers, thank you for pushing and helping me be the best version of myself. … Keep working and don’t get satisfied. Love y’all more than ever. With that being said, I am officially declaring for the 2026 NFL draft.”
Mauigoa was a three-year starter at Miami. After coming to UM as a five-star prospect, the Hurricanes immediately inserted him into the starting lineup at right tackle. Mauigoa started all 42 games in his three-year tenure at UM.
After being named a freshman All-American in 2023 and an All-ACC second-team selection in 2024, Mauigoa had his best year as a junior. He earned an 82.6 offensive grade with an 87 pass-blocking grade and a 77.1 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. His pass-blocking grade ranked sixth nationally among offensive tackles. He was named an AP All-American this season.
Mauigoa is projected to be a top pick in April’s draft. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Mauigoa as the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 8 player in the draft. In his most recent mock draft, Kiper had Mauigoa going third to the Arizona Cardinals.