With the 2025 college football season now concluded, and Super Bowl LX on the horizon, pretty soon everyone is going to turn the page to the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl is set to wrap up this weekend, meaning that the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day circuit are some things to look forward to heading to April. From now until the first round officially kicking off, prospects from the class are going to be routinely picked a part of debated.

One of the bigger debates will center around Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, largely considered a potential top-15 draft pick. The debate centers around whether Mauigoa is going to play either offensive tackle or guard on the NFL level. My fellow A to Z Sports counterpart Joe DeLeone joined me to debate the topic. We do see some things similarly, but far from everything. It is clear that Mauigoa, the potential top draft pick at offensive tackle, can be a bit divisive.

DeLeone’s take on Mauigoa

Considering how reliable and consistent Mauigoa is as a blocker, he should have flexibility on where he plays in the NFL. His greatest strength as a prospect is that, depending on who drafts him and where they have a need, he could slot at guard or right tackle.

Because this discussion is about a right tackle rather than at left, I think it makes it much simpler. Mauigoa has a massive build and is an impactful run blocker, exhibiting the ideal traits for a right tackle. It’s ultimately more valuable to have a quality right tackle than guard, so he should get the chance to prove he can play outside before bumping in.

Additionally, there are no major concerns for length or mobility with Mauigoa. He may not have ridiculously long arms, but it’s not a liability that will catch up to him in the league. Additionally, for a 335 lb prospect, he moves well enough in space and redirects effectively in pass protection. For him to require a move to guard, it would need to be a recurring issue that he can’t move well out in the open and needs to play in more confined quarters.

Regardless of where he plays, Mauigoa appears to be one of a few prospects who can project as immediate impact starters as rookies. If he’s a guard or right tackle, he can become a foundation piece along a team’s offensive line.

Roberts’ take on Mauigoa

Mauigoa is going to be one of the more fascinating evaluations in the entire 2026 class. He is universally liked by almost everyone, particularly with the combination of physicality and floor he brings as a football player. The bigger question is where he fits best positionally, which seems to be pretty split across the league. Offensive tackle is obviously the more important position to figure out, but there’s also a lot of credence for putting a player in the position that best accentuates their strengths. 

For me, I do think Mauigoa is best served inside at guard. I’m okay if he gets a shot to play offensive tackle initially, but honestly, failing isn’t the worst thing in the world for him. Due to his consistency from a technically perspective and sheer power, I do think he can become a solid offensive tackle in the right system, inside, however, is where Mauiagoa has Pro Bowl upside. 

Don’t take away the thing that makes the former Hurricane star special. Let him beat opposing defenders up in tight quarters. Utilizing his grip strength, lower body explosiveness, and allowing him to jump set is what makes him such a talented offensive line prospect. The latter could eliminate some concern about Mauigoa’s lateral mobility and length.

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Kyle Crabbs