The Miami Hurricanes reached the national championship due to elite play in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Now, they have players on both sides of the ball, highly regarded as prospects and hopeful to be drafted in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft in Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr.
In Bain’s case, despite a dominant season on the field, concerns have been raised throughout the predraft process over his arm length. However, Mauigoa is making it clear that he wouldn’t be the player he is today had he not gone against Bain in practice.
“Nobody comes close to what we got,” Mauigoa said, according to ESPN, after being asked about his toughest matchups last season. “I mean, Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, they gave me all the work. They built who I am right now.”
As far as Mauigoa is concerned, teams shouldn’t be overly concerned with Bain’s measurements and would be prudent to let his tape speak for itself.
“That don’t matter,” he said. “I mean, if you look at the tape, it doesn’t matter… Rueben Bain, he’s got that mentality. He’s got that heart to do whatever it takes.”
For his part, Mauigoa may guard in the NFL after serving as a tackle for the Hurricanes, something he said he has already prepped for.
“They all talked to me about how do I feel if I move to guard,” he said. “And it’s the same thing. I mean, Coach [Alex] Mirabel can attest. I asked Coach Mirabal if I can get some reps at guard.
“I already know I’m going to play right tackle [at Miami], but for the next level, I mean, I’m not sure. If they want me at whatever position, I’m going to do it. And like I said, it’s five positions. I’ll make sure I take one of them.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.