The New York Giants walked into the 2025 offseason facing a quarterback crisis. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston arrived in free agency to patch the hole, but the real solution came in the draft. New York grabbed Jaxson Dart in the first round, right after selecting generational defender Abdul Carter. Now, with a rookie quarterback who needs time and an offensive line that ranked among the league’s worst, the Giants might be staring at another top pick.
Why Could the Giants Land the No. 1 Pick in 2026?
The Giants upgraded their defense extensively through the offseason, but outside the quarterback room, no major improvements happened on offense. PFSN’s Mark Stolte believes New York will struggle enough in the 2025-26 season to earn the No. 1 overall pick.
However, Stolte sees a silver lining. The Giants’ foundation looks solid with Carter and Dart in place, and he believes they’ll use that top pick to address their biggest weakness: the offensive line.
Given that Dart needs time to develop into a starter, Wilson and Winston will handle quarterbacking duties for most of the season. That arrangement might not solve their struggles, and Dart could find himself thrown into the starting lineup late in the campaign.
For the rookie to succeed, the Giants need serious upgrades on the offensive line. The unit ranked among the bottom five teams in the league on PFSN’s OL+ metric in 2024-25.
What Makes Francis Mauigoa the Perfect Fit for New York?
The Giants selected Marcus Mbow in the fifth round, and he might develop into a solid contributor on the offensive front. But the unit as a whole didn’t see much improvement in the offseason.
In the latest 2026 NFL mock draft from Stolte, the offensive line stands out as the biggest need for the Giants. He addresses it by using the No. 1 overall pick on Francis Mauigoa of the Miami Hurricanes.
NFL Scouts will fall in love with Francis Mauigoa pic.twitter.com/lne5Cm9AaO
— Grant (@NMDgrant) May 4, 2025
“With the assumption that Arch Manning won’t declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, I can’t justify taking any of the quarterbacks No.1, especially with the New York Giants taking Jaxson Dart in the first round just a few months ago,” Stolte wrote. “With that being said, the franchise certainly doesn’t need another edge rusher. That’s the one position they are loaded at.
“This means the choice here for the Giants is my top right tackle, Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa is 6’6″ 315 pounds, and moves really well. While I have Proctor slightly higher on my board, Mauigoa fits the Giants better as he is a natural right tackle who will go opposite of Andrew Thomas. He allowed just one sack and ranked 51st among 241 offensive tackles in pressures allowed per snap, according to TruMedia.”
Mauigoa anchored Miami’s incredible 2024 season, which produced the nation’s No. 1 offense and helped quarterback Cam Ward become the Tennessee Titans’ first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The right tackle started all 13 games at right tackle and earned All-ACC second-team recognition.
The Miami product brings strength, power, and range in space, plus solid recovery skills. If he translates those traits to the NFL, Mauigoa could help solve the Giants’ offensive struggles.
