A University of Miami and top draft prospect would love it if the Miami Dolphins drafted him.
The Miami Dolphins have a lot of choices at No. 11 overall, and they could go any which way considering the holes on the roster. With a full rebuild, the front office could pick one player out of multiple positions, and it would make sense.
One such position could be to bolster the offensive line for whatever quarterback may be under center. A top prospect that not only players for the University of Miami but would "love" the Dolphins to draft him is tackle Francis Mauigoa.
Mauigoa has been slated to be taken high in the first round, and he may drop to No. 11 for the Dolphins.
When Mauigoa was asked if landing with the Dolphins would be a preferred choice, he spoke about the possibility with pure joy.
"That would be awesome, man,” Mauigoa said at Indiana Convention Center. "Miami’s second home. Miami has been there, I mean, with all the Cuban food and all the tradition. It’s awesome, man. It’ll be nice to be able to stay home and play with a couple of my teammates from back home, (left guard) Jonah Savaiinaea, and also Tua Tagovailoa."
Mauigoa landing at No. 11 would give the Dolphins a solid starter at tackle. However, many teams have already asked the upcoming rookie to potentially move to guard, which he stated he would be open to.
Mauigoa also stated that he met with the Dolphins brass, and he does possess the kinds of traits that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan is looking for.
Per PFF, Mauigoa is ranked 14th out of all available tackles, posting an overall grade of 83.6. His run blocking grade of 87.0 is ranked seventh.
Mauigoa has been described as a tackle that can move with ease, has a high football IQ, and possesses good balance and a strong core.
One of the glaring needs for the Dolphins is to ensure the quarterback has plenty of time in the pocket, and Mauigoa has been slated as a disruptive blocker who can stop rushers and throw them off course.
Mauigoa did state that he would love to play with fellow Polynesian players, Jonah Savaiinaea and Tua Tagovailoa, though the latter may not be on the roster if he is drafted.
Either way, the Dolphins bolstering their offensive line is something that needs to happen, and adding a player like Mauigoa would go a long way to building that unit up in a big way.