Offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa pulled a mild surprise by committing to Miami on Monday.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Mauigoa, who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is No. 5 on the 2023 ESPN 300, and was also considering Tennessee, USC, Alabama, Florida and Hawai’i.
Mauigoa becomes Miami sixth’s ESPN 300 recruit for this cycle — joining quarterback Jaden Rashada (No. 22), tight end Riley Williams (No. 66), wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph (No. 142), athlete Robert Stafford (No. 193) and athlete Robby Washington (No. 280).
Mauigoa is the first ESPN 300 offensive lineman to play for the Hurricanes since Laurence Seymore came aboard as part of the 2021 class.
Miami’s 2023 class is 16th in ESPN’s latest team rankings, and Mauigoa becomes Mario Cristobal’s top recruit for this cycle.
Mauigoa is the second highly regarded offensive lineman to make a college commitment within the past week, after Kadyn Proctor (No. 6) stayed home by pledging to Iowa.