If Francis Mauigoa has his way, Jaxson Dart will be sleeping very peacefully each night.
Mauigoa became the first former member of the Miami Hurricanes to come off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, going to the New York Giants with the 10th overall pick. The consensus All-American us ready to endear himself to his new quarterback and told ESPN's Laura Rutledge that he's ready to put it all on the line for Jaxson Dart.
Francis Mauigoa message for Jaxon Dart. pic.twitter.com/vnsbfOg8Na
— Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) April 24, 2026
"I'll die by this (expletive), man," Mauigoa said right after getting drafted. "Man, I'm ready to die for you. I know a lot of things have happened, but I'm ready to die for you bro."
Francis Mauigoa is ready to put his life on the line for Jaxson Dart
A lot of things did happen to Dart last season and most of them ended up with him on his back. Dart was sacked 35 times last year in 14 appearances (12 starts). That's a lot for a quarterback that has pretty solid mobility. The Giants offensive line was a turnstile last year and Mauigoa will do his best to stop opposing pass rushers from setting up shop in the backfield.
Mauigoa has been a tackle for most of his time with the Hurricanes, but it's very likely he'll play guard with the Giants — he was projected to be a guard in the NFL. He is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in Miami history. He was a Freshman All-American in 2023 and a two-time All-ACC performer in addition to his All-American honors this past season. He also won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is given to the best offensive lineman in the ACC.
"They want to run the ball there... John Harbaugh wants to run the ball and this guy is a people mover," NFL Network lead analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. "He is a big, massive man who is a mauler."
Whether Mauigoa is in pass protection or driving defensive linemen off the ball in the run game, it's clear that he has talent, passion and a desire to be great. The Giants have another player that should fit well with what John Harbaugh is trying to do, and the Hurricanes have another great offensive lineman that was picked in the first round.
Add us as a preferred source on Google