Elite OL Francis Mauigoa Places Florida Gators in Top 6

Photo: Francis Mauigoa; Credit: Zach Goodall

With the 2023 recruiting cycle beginning to approach decision-making time, the Florida Gators have found themselves as a finalist for yet another top-rated recruit.

IMG Academy (Fla.) offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa announced via social media Saturday evening that Florida, along with Alabama, Hawaii, USC, Tennessee and Miami are the six teams he’s expected to pick between come his commitment date.

Top 6️⃣ @247Sports pic.twitter.com/PHHxaKcqk9
— Francis. Mauigoa (@FrancisMauigoa) June 4, 2022

Mauigoa, 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, is currently rated as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country, and the No. 7 ranked player in the country, according to 247Sports Composite.

He is slated to visit the Gators on June 14-16 as part of a multi-week tour around the country. Along with Florida, Mauigoa will also officially visit most of his top teams, including Alabama (June 10-12), USC (June 17-19), Miami (June 20-22) and Tennessee (June 23-25).

When speaking with AllGators in April this year, Mauigoa spoke highly of Florida’s new staff, noting the differences between this regime and the one previous.

"Their new staff is a lot better than the old staff. I think the new staff is way better. I felt the love and the atmosphere was crazy," Mauigoa explained in April.

"It's the people that are around you that will make you successful. Surrounding yourself with successful people will make you successful. Surround yourself with failures, you'll make yourself a failure. So, you know, they develop successful kids. They showed me around, it was all love."

Florida has already landed a couple of offensive line recruits for the 2023 recruiting class, including fellow IMG Academy OL Knijeah Harris and Rockledge (Fla) OL Bryce Lovett.

Recently, Mauigoa spoke with 247Sports about why Florida was one of his top teams, reiterating the connection he feels he has with the staff:

“I’ve been to Florida twice and really feel connected with the new staff there. My last visit was one of the best visits I’ve taken and I think the new staff is going to do a lot of great things there. I like [head] coach [Billy] Napier a lot and [offensive line] coach [Rob] Sale is great too. I have a strong trust factor with the staff and that’s important to me and I like the direction the program is going. [Former IMG Academy safety) Kamari [Wilson] is over there now too. It's cool, I have some of my IMG guys at every school I'm looking at and that always helps have someone you know you can talk with and they'll give it to you straight."

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