Fernando Mendoza has been head and shoulders above every 2026 NFL Draft prospect for four months now. He's the clear-cut No. 1 pick, and while that doesn't necessarily mean he's the best player, only an unprecedented turn of events would stop him from going to the Las Vegas Raiders on April 23.
The rest of the first round of the NFL Draft is still a fluid picture. However, after the NFL Scouting Combine, Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa have been projected at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the vast majority of mock drafts.
That's why the Cleveland Browns can only hope that Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has some intel over the other top draft experts.
In his latest mock draft, he has Mauigoa sliding right into Todd Monken's lap with the sixth overall pick.
"The Browns need a lot of help up front, and the 6-5 1/2, 330-pounder should be a good fit. Some scouts told The Athletic they think he might be better as a guard (he has 33 1/4-inch arms). His coach, Mario Cristobal, has raved about Mauigoa’s versatility, power and technique, saying he could play at any of the five offensive line spots and do well," Feldman wrote.
Francis Mauigoa might be a risk the Browns can’t afford to pass on
NFL Mock Draft Database, which aggregates data from 60 first-round mock drafts from the most renowned football sites, has Mauigoa as the consensus No. 3 pick to the Arizona Cardinals. In The Athletic's mock, the Dallas Cowboys traded up from No. 12 to No. 3 to take Texas Tech's David Bailey.
While the short-arm concerns are legitimate, Mauigoa is a natural pass-blocker at tackle. He's quick on his feet, showed impressive technique in drills at multiple offensive line positions, and is a top-tier athlete for his size.
He posted a 5.12-second 40 time with a 29-inch vertical jump at Miami's Pro Day, and he only gave up eight sacks over 1,417 pass-blocking snaps in his three years with the Hurricanes, five of which came in his freshman season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Mauigoa posted a pass-blocking efficiency rate of 98.4 percent in his final season. He gave up 15 total pressures and two sacks on 557 pass-blocking snaps, anchoring an offensive line that reached the national championship game.
Even if Mauigoa isn't cut out to play tackle in the long run, his rare combination of speed, athleticism, and footwork makes him worth the shot. He's already shown a willingness to play all over the offensive line if needed.
"Like I told the guys, there are five positions. I'll make sure I take one of them," Mauigoa said at the combine. "I mean, I play right tackle. It would be cool if I stay at tackle, but if guard is the way I get into the game, I’m gonna give it my all."
Zion Johnson might not be a long-term solution for the Browns' offensive line, so having Mauigoa move to right guard for the next decade is certainly not a doomsday scenario. That's especially true if the Browns use any of their early-round selections on other tackle prospects like Monroe Freeling, Caleb Lomu, or Blake Miller.
As much as this game has changed over time, one thing remains unchanged: Teams that dominate the line of scrimmage dominate the game, and Mauigoa is an absolute mauler. You can never have too much pass-protection, and there's simply no way to justify not taking him if he's somehow not gone by the time the Browns are on the clock.