With the receiver acquisitions the Philadelphia Eagles have made this offseason, including Friday’s trade for Dontayvion Wicks, pundits have argued Philadelphia should target an offensive lineman at No. 23 overall.
That’s the direction Sharp Football’s Brandan Donahue sees the Eagles going in. But Donahue also predicted the Eagles to move up the board for an offensive line prospect.
In his latest 2026 NFL mock draft, Donahue projected the Eagles to trade up to No. 16 and draft Miami’s Francis Mauigoa.
“GM Howie Roseman rarely sits on his hands in the first round. He has traded his original draft pick six of the last seven drafts and has traded up in the last three,” wrote Donahue. “Usually, his target is someone who is falling in the draft for some reason, and in this case, Mauigoa could fall on draft night due to injury uncertainty that caused him to have to do a medical recheck.
“Also, most teams in the top 15 do not need a right tackle, and some teams could view him as a guard.”
While the Eagles jumped seven spots in Donahue’s mock to land Mauigoa, that’s later than the All-American tackle is expected to come off the board.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah each ranked Mauigoa as a top 10 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein appears to think highly of the Hurricanes product as well.
“Highly touted prospect who met expectations as a durable three-year starter at right tackle,” wrote Zierlein. “Mauigoa has a guard’s broad build, but he moves like a tackle in pass sets.
“He’ll be an early starter at right tackle but a move to guard could be on the table in the future.”
Potential medical concerns, though, could have Mauigoa fall.
Could Francis Mauigoa Drop Out of Top 10 in 2026 NFL Draft?
GettySharp Football’s Brendan Donahue projected the Philadelphia Eagles to trade up for Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.
Mauigoa played the end of the 2025 college season, which concluded with Miami in the National Championship Game, with a back issue. The injury became a big enough concern around Mauigoa’s draft status this month that the offensive tackle went to the Combine Rechecks on April 10.
“Miami OT Francis Mauigoa, potentially the top tackle in the Draft, has decided to be at Combine Rechecks on Friday for additional imaging on a minor back issue that caused him some discomfort late in the season,” wrote NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Fellow NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported everything went well for Mauigoa at the recheck.
In theory, that should put the issue to rest. But Donahue appears to doubt teams in the top 15 will feel strongly enough about Mauigoa’s health to select him.
His positional value could potentially lead to a fall as well.
Analysts see Mauigoa as a right tackle or guard at the NFL level. Left tackles are typically the first linemen off the draft board.
Why Eagles Should Consider Offensive Line in First Round
GettyCould Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa fall during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Eagles went through a couple offensive line scares of their own this offseason. Those stemmed from the possibility of Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson potentially retiring.
Both linemen are set to return for 2026. But the scare could be enough for the Eagles to heavily invest in the line during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Targeting Mauigoa would be a great start.
The Eagles might actually prefer analysts project Mauigoa as a right tackle or guard. Jordan Mailata is firmly entrenched at left tackle for the Eagles. But at right tackle, Johnson dealt with injuries for most of the 2025 second half.
If Dickerson entertains retiring again soon, then the team will need a new left guard.
Trading up to No. 16 could be costly for the Eagles. But in return, they’d land one of the top linemen prospects in the 2026 class.
“Mauigoa is a big, powerful right tackle prospect,” wrote Jeremiah. “He has a massive lower body and plays with a firm base in pass protection.
“Mauigoa should immediately be a dominant run blocker in the NFL. And he has the skill set to be functional in pass protection.”
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