2026 draft scouting first look: Miami OL Francis Mauigoa
Mauigoa embodies the spirit of the song with his power chord-like arm extension and shoulder lock. He thrives as Miami's right tackle at attacking the man directly across from him, quickly firing out and using his strong grip and very impressive upper-body strength to control the situation. He doesn't have but average arm length, and coupled with his inconsistent reaction time and hand placement, Mauigoa seems almost certain to be destined for right guard duty at the next level.
The biggest areas for improvement entering the 2025 college season are his initial hand placement and staying balanced and squared with his shoulders and hips aligned. Mauigoa's initial punch can be devastating, but sometimes he's too high, others too wide, still others too narrow. Craftier power rushers like Ashton Gillotte were able to set him up and swat away the ill punches, though Mauigoa did have some nice reps in that battle, too.
Mauigoa made the Bruce Feldman "Freaks" list for his impressively explosive athleticism, and that does show on tape. His quickness out of his stance in any direction belies his thick 315-pound frame. He can certainly seek and destroy in space in the run game, which portends well for the seeming inevitable move inside at the next level. He will reach outside his frame and compromise his balance when he can't reach his blocking mark with that first step, however, notably in pass protection. It leads to penalties (16 in two years) and whiffs to his inside shoulder.
One definite thing to watch is the change in quarterback behind Mauigoa at Miami in 2025. He's gone from protecting No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward to the less athletic and less patient Carson Beck, who during his time at Georgia wasn't as cognizant of his drop points or escape angles from pressure as Ward was in 2024.
Mauigoa is a prospect whose draft stock could go in either direction in 2025, and a big rise into the top 30 or a big fall out of the top 150 seems equally possible. Just judging him in the 2025 NFL Draft class, I wouldn't have had Mauigoa in the top 100, but again--the potential is there.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Notre Dame football lands pledge from 2027 QB recruit Teddy Jarrard
SOUTH BEND —Notre Dame football stayed hot on the recruiting trail, securing a commitment Thursday afternoon from Georgia prep quarterback Teddy Jarrard. Rated a four-star recruit in the 2027 class, Jarrard is entering his junior season at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Ga. Jarrard transferred after leading North Cobb Christian to an 11-2 record and the state private-school semifinals last fall. 'Notre Dame always stuck out to me,' Jarrard said in his official YouTube announcement. 'Coach (Marcus) Freeman is building something special up there. It's something I want to be a part of.' Standing 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Jarrard is rated the 15th-best quarterback nationally in his recruiting class by 247 Sports Composite. Pegged as the 195th-best recruit overall at this point, Jarrard picked the Irish over nearby Georgia and a trio of Big Ten suitors: Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. 'They can expect to get a person who's going to be a perfectionist at his craft,' Jarrard said. 'Every day my goal is to get a little bit better and take little strides every step of the way. I'm trying to be as perfect as possible. They're going to get a hard-working kid.' has bumped Jarrard to No. 2 among 2027 quarterbacks and No. 52 overall. Jarrard completed 69% of his passes as a sophomore, piling up 2,752 yards and 31 touchdowns along with five interceptions. Jarrard becomes the third commitment for Notre Dame in the Class of 2027, joining Alabama prep linebacker Ellis McGaskin and Asheville, N.C., long snapper Sean Kraft. Steve Angeli: What impressed Syracuse coach Fran Brown the most about former Notre Dame football QB Notre Dame's quarterback pipeline already includes a nonbinding commitment from Class of 2026 recruit Noah Grubbs of Lake Mary, Fla. A four-star prospect, Grubbs is listed at 6-4 and 205 pounds and rated as the No. 16 quarterback recruit in his class. The early signing period runs from Dec. 3-5. Notre Dame's 2026 recruiting class ranks fifth nationally, according to 247 Sports Composite, after climbing as high as second. Notre Dame freshman quarterback Blake Hebert (6-3, 225) was a Clemson commit until switching to the Irish last fall in the wake of Deuce Knight's decommitment and subsequent pledge to Auburn. Hebert is a product of Boxford, Mass., who played at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn., with fellow Notre Dame signees Matty Augustine (offensive tackle) and Ethan Long (safety). Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football lands pledge from 2027 QB recruit Teddy Jarrard
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bad News Comes to Surface Amid Terry Rozier Betting Scandal
Bad News Comes to Surface Amid Terry Rozier Betting Scandal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Miami Heat shooting guard Terry Rozier finds himself at the center of a brewing storm as new details have emerge regarding suspicious betting activity tied to his 2023 performance with the Charlotte Hornets. According to a recent article by David Purdum of ESPN, a bettor placed 30 wagers in just 46 minutes on Rozier during a game that year, with every bet winning after he unexpectedly exited early due to a reported foot injury. Another individual wagered $13,759 on Rozier's unders, further fueling speculation of foul play. This revelation, reported on Friday, has cast a shadow over the seasoned guard's career and raised questions about the integrity of NBA betting practices. Federal investigators are now delving deeper into the case, linking it to a broader probe that previously resulted in the lifetime ban of former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for similar allegations. Despite Rozier's attorney asserting his client's innocence and the NBA's initial finding of no rule violations, the ongoing investigation keeps the Heat in a precarious position. The team, which traded for Rozier in January 2024, could face significant financial repercussions, including potential salary cap relief or luxury tax adjustments if disciplinary action is taken. As the 2025-26 NBA season looms, the Heat must navigate this scandal, which threatens to tarnish their reputation and Rozier's legacy. For now, the basketball world watches closely as more details surface, leaving the question of Rozier's involvement unresolved and the Heat bracing for story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Houston looking to add an ace to the rotation
The 2025 MLB trade deadline has passed. Follow along for live reaction and analysis after an active week around the league. Getty Images The Houston Astros are in the mix for Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara, as well as San Diego Padres righty Dylan Cease, according to a source briefed on their discussions. Club officials, however, fear that they might get outbid for both pitchers, given the competitive state of the market. The Astros' interest in Alcantara was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The A's won their game against the Mariners 5-4 without Miller notching the save. Paul Gervase is an intriguing part of the Dodgers' haul, per a pair of evaluators. The 6-foot-10 right-hander has elite extension, and could be an interesting part of the relief mix. The Boston Red Sox were in the mix for Eugenio Suárez, with the intention of acquiring him to play first base, sources tell me and The Athletic 's Jen McCaffrey. In a move that will please the fans in the Pacific Northwest, Mariners' president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto is working to bring back slugger Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks, according to the The Athletic 's Ken Rosenthal. Among the bats listed on The Athletic 's Big Board, Suárez had the best rest-of-season projected value by Wins Above Replacement. That production is mostly propped up by power – over the past calendar year, only Shohei Ohtani (60 homers) and Aaron Judge (58) have hit more than the third baseman's 53 homers. There's little reason to doubt that power, though. The underlying batted ball metrics were all best on the Board for Suárez as well. He hasn't been a great defender this year, but has been a positive at third base with the glove by Statcast's Outs Above Average every other year they've tracked that number, and Seattle may have a defensive replacement in Ben Williamson if they choose to keep the youngster on the roster. It's 'good vibes only' time again for the Mariners. The Dodgers effectively swap third catchers in Hunter Feduccia for Ben Rortvedt, and in the process got a left-handed pitching prospect in Adam Serwinoski and an optionable bullpen arm in Paul Gervase. Nice little bit of business. Also, it wouldn't be the trade deadline without Andrew Friedman wriggling his way into a three-team deal. Last year, it was the deal that landed Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech in Los Angeles. Two relievers down, one to go. Hours after trading closer Ryan Helsley, the Cardinals swing a deal to send left-handed reliever Steven Matz to the Boston Red Sox. St. Louis expects to move Phil Maton as well. Matz, 34, is in the final year of his contract and is owed roughly $4.8 million for the remainder of the season. The Angels are four games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. As a result, Los Angeles' front office went out today and acquired two veteran relievers to bolster their bullpen. Here are your views on the deal: Robert K P.: Beat the Rangers twice & buy a couple of old worn out pitchers. Sounds like a playoff run to me. OMG, this is so painful. Can't the Angels rebuild already? Forrest B.: They gave up nothing. Let's not overreact yet. Cyrus T G.: If the Angels make a decision, I am sure it is well thought and carefully considered without a hint of panic, desperation or false hope. Jake H.: I don't think this makes us buyers by adding mid level mid 30s guys. Maybe they're just prepping to ship off Detmers and Jansen. Victoria M.: Angels' bullpen has been in heavy use for the last month. Needed some arms to bridge to the setup guys and Jansen. The pitcher sent to Washington is a young arm, but needs more development. I don't think this makes the Halos buyers. It's simply a case of send us your old and tired, who can still perform for two months, and we'll send you fresh troops. Urías raises the floor of a depleted Astros roster and strengthens one of the sport's best run prevention machines. Only four infields entered Wednesday worth more outs above average than Houston's — a byproduct of moving Jose Altuve to left field and signing three-time Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker this offseason. Urías has been worth three outs above average at third base this season, according to Baseball Savant. According to Sports Info Solutions, he's been worth six defensive runs saved. Playing Urías primarily third base would put him alongside Gold Glove shortstop Jeremy Peña, who could return from the injured list on Friday when the Astros open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. Presuming Urías and Peña comprise the left side of the infield, Houston could shift Mauricio Dubón — a utility Gold Glove winner — to second base, where rookies Brice Matthews and Shay Whitcomb have been splitting playing time. In adding Littell, that means either Nick Martinez or Chase Burns will move to the bullpen immediately. The team is still hashing out those plans. Eventually, though, both will end up there as Hunter Greene is on his way back from the injured list. Greene made his first rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Louisville, and is expected to pitch again Sunday. Greene threw 50 pitches and is expected to throw more in his next outing. Whether he makes another rehab start after that will be determined then. But when he does come back to the rotation, it's likely whichever one of Martinez or Burns that doesn't go to the bullpen after Littell moves into the rotation, will be moved there to make way for Greene. Taylor and Tyler Rogers play catch with each other every December 17. It's their birthday, and the ideal time to start getting ready for another season in the majors. The brothers, who have combined for more than 900 games and were teammates with the San Francisco Giants in 2023 and 2024, will remember the date July 30, too – because both of them were traded on Wednesday. The Cincinnati Reds sent Taylor, a lefty, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a deal for Ke'Bryan Hayes. Minutes later, the Giants sent Tyler, a righty, to the Mets in exchange for Jose Butto and two prospects. The Rogers deals become the latest in a long history of brotherly oddities in baseball. Read below for a small sampling of some other fun facts from more than 400 brother combinations to play in MLB. Rafael Montero is the first of several Braves relievers who could be traded before Thursday's 6 p.m. deadline. The 34-year-old was originally traded to Atlanta in April from Houston, and struggled mightily. Minor league infielder Jim Jarvis, who was sent from the Tigers, has split time between second base, third base and shortstop this season at Double-A Erie, and hit .242 with three triples, two homers, eight stolen bases and a .652 OPS in 310 plate appearances. The San Diego native was an 11th-round draft pick by the Tigers in 2023 out of the University of Alabama. Getty Images By Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal As usual, San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is active on most of the big names available at the trade deadline. In addition to his continued pursuit of outfielders Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan, he is also pushing for Athletics closer Mason Miller, sources briefed on the Padres' discussions told The Athletic . Considering the top-heavy state of the Padres farm system, Preller might need to part with elite shortstop prospect Leo De Vries or well-regarded catching prospect Ethan Salas to acquire any of the above players. Indications are, the executive is willing to at least discuss them. Miller, like Duran or Kwan, would come at a heavy cost. The 26-year-old right-hander is leading the majors in average fastball velocity while earning just $765,000 this season, with four additional seasons of club control. The Padres this month sent three relievers to the All-Star Game, but they are considering potential trades of one of those pitchers, closer Robert Suarez, who is making $10 million and can opt out of his contract after the World Series. Read more below. GO FURTHER Padres, still pursuing Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan, also pushing for Mason Miller: Sources Getty Images Barring a dramatic shift on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates are likely to keep right-hander Mitch Keller, according to major-league sources briefed on their discussions. A trade of Keller represents perhaps the Pirates' best chance to acquire impact offensive talent. But The Athletic reported last Friday that the Pirates were torn on moving Keller, who is in the second year of a five-year, $77 million contract. An executive from a team interested in Keller, granted anonymity for his candor, said his team has not 'even bothered' continuing its pursuit of the pitcher, citing the Pirates' reluctance to seriously engage. There are multiple reasons the Pirates might balk at trading Keller, 29. The difficulty of replacing his performance could be one. The lack of quality offers from teams that perceive him as nothing more than a mid-rotation starter might be another. Moving Keller would clear his salaries of $16.5 million, $18 million and $20 million the next three seasons. But the Pirates also could seek to fill their offensive void by moving left-hander Bailey Falter, 28, or Braxton Ashcraft, 25, and others. None of the Pirates on expiring contracts — outfielder Tommy Pham, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and left-hander Andrew Heaney — are likely to bring back hitters who would bolster the 2026 roster. Closer David Bednar and setup man Dennis Santana, both of whom are under club control for an additional season, carry greater value, but perhaps not enough to land a difference-maker. Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees continue to make moves along the margins, now acquiring versatile outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox. Here are your views on the deal: Shirley M.: Cashman is shopping at Dollar General again. Greg R.: Solid small move. If nothing else, Boone has greater roster/lineup flexibility and we're not neutered vs. lefties. Bigger picture, this bodes a Grisham trade for an arm. Anonymous: The Yankees look ahead to October? Are you kidding? The only thing happening at Yankee stadium in October will be the tours. They need to look ahead to find a GM. Alex W.: Guess the Martian turns out to be human after all. Sam H.: In a vacuum, Slater seems like a solid pickup (I read somewhere he's one of the best pinch hitters in MLB history, surprisingly) but trading your #18 prospect for a rental fourth OF with his stat line seems like an overpay. We know the Tigers need bullpen help, and we know they've signaled they're reluctant to part with top prospects. But what in the world do they like about Rafael Montero, who has a 5.40 ERA in 38 1/3 innings this season? Perhaps they think he can add needed swing and miss to a bullpen that has the American League's worst whiff rate so far this season. Montero, imperfect as he is, ranks in the 89th percentile in chase rate and 76th percentile in whiff rate. He also has a 13.9 percent walk rate, one of the worst in the league, something that runs counter to the Tigers' usual pitching profile. Montero has a good splitter and posted a 2.37 ERA for the Astros back in 2022. But here on the eve of the deadline, the Tigers have missed out on big-ticket relievers, this time opting for yet another project. In need of pitching, the Cubs made their first move the trade deadline by adding Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals, league sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. Soroka has an elevated 4.87 ERA but strong peripherals with a 25.4 percent strikeout rate and 7 percent walk rate. He'll also be going from pitching in front of a bottom-five defensive unit to one of the best infields in baseball. Still, there is some concern that Soroka's fastball velocity has dipped in his last three starts. But with Justin Steele out for the season and with Jameson Taillon working his way back from injury, the rotation has been screaming for reinforcements. Filling in admirably at times, Colin Rea has been shaky of late, posting a 5.46 ERA in his last 11 starts and has given up nine runs combined in his last two outings. GO FURTHER Cubs acquiring RHP Michael Soroka from Nationals: Sources
