The Houston Texans devoted a significant portion of their offseason planning to improving the offensive line for C.J. Stroud. The Texans could continue that trend with Francis Mauigoa, a massive presence who could address a couple of positions long term.
Stroud’s protection has improved significantly in recent weeks, but the Texans’ solution is a patchwork at best and could still use a solidified long-term plan at multiple spots.
That is where Mauigoa could make sense.
Texans Projected to Draft Miami OL Francis Mauigoa
GettyFrancis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes looks for a defender to block against the Florida State Seminoles.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projected Mauigoa to the Texans with the No. 18 overall pick of the 2026 draft.
Slotting aside, Mauigoa could be an immediately impactful player for the Texans.
“Teams are split on Mauigoa’s NFL position — some want to keep him at offensive tackle; others believe a move to guard is inevitable,” Brugler wrote on December 3. “With his body balance and vice grips for hands, Mauigoa could immediately upgrade Houston’s guard situation while giving the Texans depth at tackle in a pinch.”
Mauigoa is listed at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds. He would be the Texans’ second-heaviest OL, behind only starting right tackle Trent Brown, though the Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion is on an expiring $2.3 million contract.
Mauigoa could replace Brown at RT, or Tytus Howard, who moved from that spot to left guard and is signed through 2027 on a three-year, $56 million pact.
Rookie Aireontae Ersery has locked down the Texans’ left tackle job. Mauigoa could follow suit.
Stroud’s sack rate is at a career low. And while he has a lot to do with that – both with his play and the time he missed in concussion protocol – it is also a positive indication of the adjustment the Texans made during the campaign.
Francis Mauigoa Has ‘Pro Bowl Caliber’ Potential
GettyFrancis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes reacts against the Florida A&M Rattlers.
If the Texans needed convincing of what kind of player Mauigoa could be at the next level, The Draft Network projected him as a first-round draft pick and “Pro Bowl Caliber.”
“Mauigoa possesses a thick, squatty frame, with exceptionally developed legs that are almost over-proportioned. He has a sturdy upper half and adequate length. Despite his stocky appearance, he moves extremely well. He shows excellent foot quickness and general lower-body fluidity, though he tends to be a short-strider. While his lower-body mass can occasionally make movement more challenging, he compensates with violent, intentional movement, twitch, and effort,” TDN wrote in the lineman’s draft profile.
“Projecting Mauigoa to the NFL, he just looks like a guard. He’s talented enough to be an elite college tackle, but his ceiling clearly lies inside. Mauigoa is a day-one, plug-and-play solution for any NFL offense. At minimum, he projects as a decade-long starter.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Mauigoa as his ninth overall prospect and the top OT in the class.
“Here’s a true mauler,” Kiper wrote in November. “Mauigoa is fun to watch for the way he just destroys pass rushers at the point of attack. He has more than 2,300 snaps at right tackle and has the pass protection skill to stick there, but he could absolutely slide inside and become a Pro Bowl-caliber guard at the next level. Mauigoa has allowed one sack and blown only nine run blocks since the start of last season.
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