Potential Browns’ Target Declares Himself Eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft

With the 2026 NFL Draft three months away, the Cleveland Browns will slowly start to zero in on the prospects that will command their attention as they get closer and closer to being put on the clock.

One of such prospects made an important announcement on Thursday.

Miami Hurricanes’ right offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa declared himself eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, giving the Browns a potential target for one of their first round selections.

#Miami OT Francis Mauigoa has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Projects as a top 10 pick and a plug-and-play starter up-front. pic.twitter.com/cvdi6icmDw
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) January 22, 2026

A number of mock drafts across the industry have projected the Browns selecting Mauigoa with the sixth overall pick, including first round forecasts published by Yahoo!Sports, USA TODAY Sports and Bleacher Report.

Mauigoa has seen his draft stock increase steadily, including a standout performance in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, where his Hurricanes fell by a score of 27-21 to Indiana last Monday night.

While some may point to Mauigoa potentially becoming a reach with a Top-10 pick considering he’s projected to play on the right side of the offensive line -- if he’s not shifted inside to guard -- many teams have proved in the recent past that right tackles can very well be worth a high first round selection. Chicago Bears’ Darnell Wright (2023, 10th) and New York Jets’ Armand Membou (2025, 7th) are just two of the most recent examples.

Cleveland could use immediate relief all across its offensive line. The team is set to lose its starting center Ethan Pocic, two starting guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, backup guard Teven Jenkins, starting right tackle Jack Conklin and backup left tackle Cam Robinson to expiring contracts in the next few weeks. Those are a lot of holes to fill out. Starting left tackle Dawand Jones, meanwhile, missed most of the season due to a knee injury suffered in Week 3.

Cleveland currently owns two first round picks, after taking possession of the Jacksonville Jaguars selection (24th overall) thanks to a draft day trade from last year, in addition to their own (6th overall).

Browns’ general manager Andrew Berry already stated that “The offensive line, that's a position group that I do imagine will have a fair amount of turnover as we go into 2026,” at the conclusion of a 5-12 regular season that saw the club miss out on the playoffs for the 24th time in the last 27 years.

Cleveland’s front office did a superb job on last year’s draft, adding bona fide playmakers in linebacker Carson Schwesinger, tight end Harold Fannin Jr., running back Quinshon Judkins and defensive tackle Mason Graham. The team will need a repeat performance this year, with obvious roster holes at wideout, in addition to the offensive line. And, that’s without even getting into the quarterback debate, where the team invested two draft picks last year with very little return.

Is Francis Mauigoa a Realistic Option for the Cleveland Browns?

Some draft analysts are mocking Mauigoa to be selected as high as third overall, by the Arizona Cardinals. However, should he fall to the Browns pick at sixth, Berry & Co. will have to consider him as an option, in order to replace all the losses that the Browns are potentially facing in the trenches.

He might not be as flashy a pick as a stud wide receiver, for example, but the need is there, so it could just be a matter of the pick value lining up with the prospect.