“I thought in L.A. we had one of the better offensive lines I had ever been a part of and they stayed healthy and were coached really well,” LaFleur said. “I thought they bought into stuff, and by the way they were really talented. Built organically a little bit. There are so many factors how you use those resources.”
The Cardinals need a guard, but top guard Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State won’t be a top 5 pick and he’ll be gone by mid-first round. Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon is a potential second-round pick.
Barring a trade down – or even with one – the Cardinals figure to choose between Mauigoa and Fano at 3 if they take an offensive lineman.
“This tackle class does not have a Joe Alt- or Rashawn Slater-caliber of a guy we typically see go in those first picks,” ESPN draft analyst Benjamin Solak said. “To me, that dude is not there in this class.
“If you are going tackle early, I’d like to move back before I do it.”
That’s exactly how Ossenfort’s first draft played out, trading from 3 to 12 and back to 6, to get Johnson.
But there might not be many suitors to trade up this year, given the lack of quarterbacks to take. If there was a quarterback to take, the Cardinals would likely be looking there anyway and not necessarily at an offensive lineman.
In this case, the tackles – both Fano and Mauigoa project to the right side and played there in college – do make sense.
Fano doesn’t necessarily have the bulk as some tackles, listed at 302 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame, but his athleticism is evident. Mauigoa, at 6-6 and 335, is powerful and had a “flawless” season for the Hurricanes, Miller said.
“Mauigoa is my No. 5 overall player, so … premium position, solidify your offensive line,” Miller said. “If there isn’t a quarterback there, why not build the foundation for one? That’s an argument you’re going to hear a lot this year: Set the table for when you do get that quarterback.”