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Giants' Francis Mauigoa says he's 'ready to die' for new QB Jaxson Dart
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- Giants' Francis Mauigoa says he's 'ready to die' for new QB Jaxson Dart
An offensive lineman is expected to give his all for his quarterback.
No need to remind Francis Mauigoa.
Shortly after the New York Giants selected the Miami (Fla.) offensive tackle at 10th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mauigoa professed his loyalty to Giants second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart .
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"I'll die for this (expletive)," he told ESPN. "I'm ready to die for you, man. A lot of things just happened, but I'm ready to die for you, bro."
A three-year starter for the Hurricanes, Mauigoa was part of the team that reached the national title game in 2025. The America Samoa native checked in at 6-foot-5 and 329 pounds at the combine in March.
Mauigoa is the first Miami offensive lineman to be picked in the first round since Ereck Flowers was selected with the ninth pick in the 2015 draft – also a Giants' selection.
New York fans are hoping Mauigoa pans out better than his Flowers, who was traded halfway through his fourth season with the team.
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Earlier in the draft, the New York Giants used their first selection of the first round – fifth overall – to pick edge rusher Arvell Reese from Ohio State.
The Giants gained the 10th pick thanks to a trade April 18 with the Cincinnati Bengals that sent defensive-line cornerstone Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati.
Concerns about Mauigoa's back popped up during the pre-draft process, but the Giants – now led by first-year head coach John Harbaugh – hired Adam Bennett as head athletic trainer this offseason, a role he previously held since 2023 at Miami, where he would have treated Mauigoa.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
-
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
-
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
-
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
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Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
-
Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
-
Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
-
Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
-
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
-
Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
-
Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
-
Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
-
New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
-
Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
-
Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
-
Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
2
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
3
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
4
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
5
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
6
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
7
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
8
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
9
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
10
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
11
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
12
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
13
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
14
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
15
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
16
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
17
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
18
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
19
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
20
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
21
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
22
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
23
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
24
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
25
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
26
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
27
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
28
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
29
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
30
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
31
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
32
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants draft pick Francis Mauigoa 'ready to die' for QB Jaxson Dart
