Francis Mauigoa: The Next Great IMG Academy Offensive Tackle

When taking a look at some of the top football players in the state of Florida that will return for the 2022 season, you will find few better overall than IMG Academy offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa

Looking at the IMG Academy program in recent years, it’s no secret that the Ascenders have had one of the top overall teams in the country each season, partly due to the pure level of talent at all positions. The talent to play at IMG Academy in recent years is truly elite, with four-and-five star prospects scattered all over the field.

However, when looking at that talent overall, there are few positions in recent years where the level of top talent for the Ascenders has stuck out more than at offensive tackle. A group that has included names such as Evan Neal, JC Latham, and Tyler Booker in recent years, Mauigoa is undoubtedly the next in that line for the Ascenders, one that is quickly becoming one of the top high school football position groups across the country. 

A five-star prospect and top 10 overall player nationally in the Class of 2023, Mauigoa started at right tackle for the Ascenders last season and could see time at either tackle position in 2022. The nation’s No. 2 ranked offensive tackle, however, at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, as well as the state of Florida’s No. 2 overall player behind only Lake Gibson’s Cormani McClain, Mauigoa is also IMG Academy’s highest-ranked player at the position since Latham back in 2019, a position he is likely to play at the next level. 

Looking back at the trio that came before Mauigoa at IMG, one thing that you might quickly notice with all three of Neal, Latham, and Booker is that they all ended up at Alabama. While it’s currently unknown if the five-star will follow the other three’s path to Tuscaloosa, one thing that is known however is that Mauigoa is certainly one of the more sought-after prospects in the 2023 class.

Holding offers from 29 schools according to 247Sports, as well as interest from many more, the Crimson Tide are certainly squarely in the mix for one of the state’s top players, with both Oregon and USC right there with Alabama. In fact, Mauigoa recently released a “Top 13,” a list that included multiple other notable top collegiate programs such as Florida, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Texas.

Regardless of where he plays at the next level, it’s clear already that Francis Mauigoa is a special talent, one that is certainly next in the line of recent offensive tackle greats to play at IMG Academy. 

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