Is it too early for 2026 NFL draft talk? The simple answer is yes, but in the NFL, that’s par for the course, and ESPN’s Matt Miller is already diving in head-first.

After digging through early film, Miller decided it was time to compile his first 2026 mock draft. In it, he has the New York Giants selecting second overall based on ESPN’s Football Power Index. It predicts the Giants finish with a record of 6-11, only fractionally better than the Cleveland Browns, who end up picking first overall.

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So, following another lost season, who do the Giants target in their latest attempt to turn things around? Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.

Mauigoa enters his third college season as a player on the rise. After allowing five sacks during his true freshman season in 2023, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound right tackle didn’t allow a sack last season and drew only three penalties. Mauigoa is best as a run blocker in a zone scheme, with quick feet and the agility to get to the second level. He’d serve as a replacement for disappointing 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal and join a youthful offense which also features 2025 first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart, star second-year receiver Malik Nabers and emerging running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Francis is not to be confused with his brother, linebacker Francisco Francis Mauigoa, who was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Mauigoa may finish the 2026 campaign as the top offensive line prospect in the country, which is precisely what the Giants are likely to be looking for. With Neal moved to guard and his fifth-year option declined, and Jermaine Eluemunor in the final year of his contract, Big Blue will again be in the market for an offensive tackle next offseason.

The one problem with this scenario is that if the Giants again finish with one of the worst records in football, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are likely on their way out of town.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants select OL ‘on the rise’ in Matt Miller’s 2026 NFL mock draft