The New York Giants enter the offseason with a new front office and some pressing personnel issues to address. Wide receivers and cornerbacks are at the forefront, but depending on how free agency unfolds overall, general manager Joe Schoen may need to address the offensive line again.
Veteran right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the best season of his career, which means he could draw some interest. If the Giants fail to bring him back, they’ll once again need to find a bookend for Andrew Thomas.
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In NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks’ first mock draft, they did exactly that with Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who went No. 5 overall.
Under new coach John Harbaugh, the Giants have regained their dangerousness by bringing in new talent to bolster the trenches. Maui Goa is a natural right tackle who excels at bullying defenders at the point of attack and has excellent size and strength, and New York may have a hole at the position with Jermaine Elumuno’s impending free agency.
NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein believes Mauigoa is likely to move into an NFL-level interior defensive position.
Highly regarded prospect who lives up to expectations as a durable three-year starter at right tackle. Maui Goa has the wide frame of a defender, but he moves like a tackle when passing the ball. He has a lot of experience and an impressive football IQ. He has good contact balance and a strong core. His first contact is solid, but being too slanted not only diminishes his leverage and consistency as a runner, but also his ability to handle spin counterattacks in protection. He’s great at trapping rushers around the corner and smothering their momentum. His footwork, anchor and punch timing allow him to diversify his delivery. He has an innate feel for pocket depth and rarely has the speed to outpace top players. Mauigoa had high ceilings, but the slope had to be eliminated. He will be the starter at right tackle but may consider switching to guard in the future.
With 2025 fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow already on the roster and gaining valuable tackle experience as a rookie, it seems unlikely (but not impossible) that the Giants would select an offensive lineman with the fifth overall pick.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants add bully tackle in first Bucky Brooks mock draft
