INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 Miami Hurricanes star right tackle and elite NFL draft prospect Francis Mauigoa has mostly been considered a top-10 pick come late April.<\/p>\n
But in the latest mock draft of ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper Jr.<\/a>, he is slotted to stay in Miami, to the Dolphins with the No. 11 selection.<\/p>\n Mauigoa, speaking at the NFL scouting combine Saturday morning, wouldn\u2019t mind that at all.<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be awesome, man,\u201d Mauigoa said at Indiana Convention Center. \u201cMiami\u2019s second home. Miami has been there, I mean, with all the Cuban food and all the tradition. It\u2019s awesome, man. It\u2019ll 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, if he is drafted by the Dolphins, Mauigoa, who is Samoan like Tagovailoa and Savaiinaea, may not get his wish of blocking for Tagovailoa.<\/p>\n Miami is likely bound to part ways with its former franchise quarterback and the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft this offseason. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said \u201ceverything\u2019s on the table\u201d<\/a> when it comes to Tagovailoa.<\/p>\n The Dolphins will first try to find a trade partner to offload the passer and his $54 million guaranteed for the 2026 season. Assuming a trade can\u2019t be executed, they would then presumptively release him, spreading out the $99.2 million dead cap hit, in all likelihood.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Mauigoa had a story on connecting with Tagovailoa in the three years they\u2019ve both been in South Florida.<\/p>\n \u201cI met him last year or two years ago,\u201d Mauigoa recalled. \u201cI was doing an assignment (for class). It was to interview people off campus. I was like, \u2018Let me hit up Tua, find a way to communicate with him.\u2019 Thankfully, that happened. He\u2019s an awesome guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Savaiinaea, though, whom the Dolphins traded up in the second round to draft last year, would be going into the second season on his four-year rookie contract after starting at left guard last year. Landing in Miami could afford Mauigoa the opportunity to start on the same offensive line as him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all (Polynesian). We\u2019re all Samoan,\u201d Mauigoa said. \u201cSo, we\u2019re kind of connected by that. Samoa\u2019s very little, so the people stay together. We were raised on a quote that, \u2018It takes a village to raise a kid.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Mauigoa could be up for the draft\u2019s top offensive lineman. Utah tackle Spencer Fano, Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor, Georgia\u2019s Monroe Freeling and Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane are others in that mix.<\/p>\n Mauigoa, an All-American as a junior last season, was the Hurricanes\u2019 starting right tackle since he joined the team as a five-star recruit out of IMG Academy.<\/p>\n The Dolphins\u2019 new leadership could decide to find a new long-term solution at right tackle as Austin Jackson has struggled to consistently stay on the field and perform. While Jackson is under contract, there is talk from NFL teams that Mauigoa could move inside to guard in the pros.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they want me at whatever position, I\u2019m going to do it,\u201d Mauigoa said.<\/p>\n As Mauigoa met with the Dolphins at the combine, he said the conversation went well.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know what type of football we play down in Miami, of course,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mauigoa\u2019s fit in the Dolphins offense could come into question ahead of the draft because one criticism of him is his range in the outside-zone run-blocking scheme.<\/p>\n The Dolphins often run the outside zone and are expected to continue that after parting ways with former coach Mike McDaniel as new coach Jeff Hafley has Bobby Slowik as his offensive coordinator.<\/p>\n \u201cI know they run that a lot,\u201d Mauigoa said, \u201cand we do that quite often with the Miami Hurricanes, as well. Outside blocking is just turning and take whoever, know your landmark, know what you got. I always go by what, how and why: what you got, how you\u2019re going to do it and why you\u2019re going to do it. And that\u2019s just how (Miami offensive line coach Alex) Mirabal taught me.\u201d<\/p>\n Mirabal is one of UM coach Mario Cristobal\u2019s esteemed assistants on the staff. Cristobal, too, has his background in developing offensive linemen.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an old school type of coach,\u201d Mauigoa said of Cristobal. \u201cIt\u2019s all down to (nitty)-gritty, everything like that. And that\u2019s the way I grew up back on the island. It\u2019s all from the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n