Courtesy of Miami Athletics:
For Francis Mauigoa, the entire pre-draft process has felt a bit surreal.
There’s been the training, the individual meetings with teams across the NFL, the Combine and on Monday, there was one last workout with his Hurricanes teammates in the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility during Miami’s Pro Day.
Each part of this months-long, high-stakes job interview has come with its own set of “pinch me” type of moments, moments Mauigoa knows will only help bring him closer to his dream of playing professional football.
And so, he’s done his best to make the most of every opportunity he’s had. But on Monday, after Mauigoa finished running drills and speaking to some of the NFL personnel who’d made their way to Coral Gables to scout him and the rest of the Hurricanes, the offensive lineman couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“This means a lot, man. Starting from when I had to leave American Samoa to go to California, going back home and then having to leave again to go to IMG Academy, all of it has been for this moment right here,” said Mauigoa, a three-year starter for the Hurricanes who is widely projected to be among the top picks in next month’s draft. “The sacrifices that my parents had to make, it was all for this moment. Now, college went by fast. It flew.
“I remember it just like yesterday, my first practice here. I was huffing and puffing out there. It just goes by so fast and you’ve got to cherish every moment that you get.”
That seemed to be a sentiment shared by more than a few of the Hurricanes who put on a show Monday afternoon for the more than 100 NFL general managers, coaches, and scouts that were on hand.
It was a group that included – according to the NFL Network – Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, and Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley, New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, among others.
“Just the type of team we had, man, they wanted to see what we had and the type of players that we had and the type of people we had,” said Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe. “They wanted to see what we had, and we showed it.”
While there were certainly plenty of eyes on Mauigoa and defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, all of whom are expected to be first-round picks, they weren’t the only Hurricanes to raise eyebrows Monday.
Cornerback Keionte Scott showed off his blazing speed, posting a time of 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash, while quarterback Carson Beck, who threw for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns during Miami’s run to the College Football Playoff Championship, threw a series of passes that put his arm strength on full display.
And while both Scott and Beck spent only a season in orange and green, both said they believed their time as Hurricanes only helped them become stronger NFL prospects.
“Like I told the guys at the end of the season, man, just getting the opportunity to come around and be around them, they don’t know how much they helped me,” said Scott, who finished the year with 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions – including a memorable pick-six in Miami’s Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State. “I know people will say how much I was able to do for the program, but the program was able to do so much for me. Coming in, being able to get a fresh start, being able to get around some great people, just being able to elevate at the end of the day and I’m so thankful for the opportunity.”
Said Beck, “It was absolutely unbelievable. I mean, what an unbelievable opportunity. I’m just so, so grateful that [Miami head coach Mario] Cristobal and [offensive coordinator Shannon] Dawson gave me the opportunity to come play quarterback at the University of Miami when I didn’t have an elbow. I’d just had surgery. I couldn’t even throw a football and they trusted me to go through that process and commit to the grind to be able to get back and ultimately play quarterback for this University. I’m super grateful they gave me that opportunity and I’m super grateful to be a Miami Hurricane.”
And as Miami’s current group of NFL hopefuls made their way through Monday’s drills, some of the Hurricanes who’ve come before them offered their support, as has become a tradition of sorts at Pro Day.
NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin was on hand. So, too, was Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta. Recent Miami alums Jalen Rivers and Elijah Arroyo, both of whom just finished their rookie seasons, made it a point to be there, too.
For all of them, Pro Day is a rite of passage at The U – whether they’re on the field, hoping to make an impression, or have already heard their names called at the NFL Draft.
“I feel like this is such a huge step for these guys going through this process,” said Arroyo, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks last year and is now a Super Bowl champion. “I’ve been through it and I just wanted to be able to show my support to them.”
With the Combine and Pro Day now behind them, Miami’s draft-eligible prospects will wait to see what their respective futures hold.
The work of preparing for the draft will continue. There will be more personal workouts, more conversations with teams, more training.
All of it, they hope, will help lead to the calls they’ve been waiting for their entire lives.
“I’m going to be crying like a baby. I already know,” Bain said with a smile. “I’ve put so much work into this. Being in here, staying after practice, being early before practice, getting everything done, make sure I give my all to football because I know football gave its all to me. I’m just ready for the moment.”
For Francis Mauigoa, the entire pre-draft process has felt a bit surreal.
There’s been the training, the individual meetings with teams across the NFL, the Combine and on Monday, there was one last workout with his Hurricanes teammates in the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility during Miami’s Pro Day.
Each part of this months-long, high-stakes job interview has come with its own set of “pinch me” type of moments, moments Mauigoa knows will only help bring him closer to his dream of playing professional football.
And so, he’s done his best to make the most of every opportunity he’s had. But on Monday, after Mauigoa finished running drills and speaking to some of the NFL personnel who’d made their way to Coral Gables to scout him and the rest of the Hurricanes, the offensive lineman couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“This means a lot, man. Starting from when I had to leave American Samoa to go to California, going back home and then having to leave again to go to IMG Academy, all of it has been for this moment right here,” said Mauigoa, a three-year starter for the Hurricanes who is widely projected to be among the top picks in next month’s draft. “The sacrifices that my parents had to make, it was all for this moment. Now, college went by fast. It flew.
“I remember it just like yesterday, my first practice here. I was huffing and puffing out there. It just goes by so fast and you’ve got to cherish every moment that you get.”
That seemed to be a sentiment shared by more than a few of the Hurricanes who put on a show Monday afternoon for the more than 100 NFL general managers, coaches, and scouts that were on hand.
It was a group that included – according to the NFL Network – Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, and Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley, New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, among others.
“Just the type of team we had, man, they wanted to see what we had and the type of players that we had and the type of people we had,” said Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe. “They wanted to see what we had, and we showed it.”
While there were certainly plenty of eyes on Mauigoa and defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, all of whom are expected to be first-round picks, they weren’t the only Hurricanes to raise eyebrows Monday.
Cornerback Keionte Scott showed off his blazing speed, posting a time of 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash, while quarterback Carson Beck, who threw for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns during Miami’s run to the College Football Playoff Championship, threw a series of passes that put his arm strength on full display.
And while both Scott and Beck spent only a season in orange and green, both said they believed their time as Hurricanes only helped them become stronger NFL prospects.
“Like I told the guys at the end of the season, man, just getting the opportunity to come around and be around them, they don’t know how much they helped me,” said Scott, who finished the year with 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions – including a memorable pick-six in Miami’s Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State. “I know people will say how much I was able to do for the program, but the program was able to do so much for me. Coming in, being able to get a fresh start, being able to get around some great people, just being able to elevate at the end of the day and I’m so thankful for the opportunity.”
Said Beck, “It was absolutely unbelievable. I mean, what an unbelievable opportunity. I’m just so, so grateful that [Miami head coach Mario] Cristobal and [offensive coordinator Shannon] Dawson gave me the opportunity to come play quarterback at the University of Miami when I didn’t have an elbow. I’d just had surgery. I couldn’t even throw a football and they trusted me to go through that process and commit to the grind to be able to get back and ultimately play quarterback for this University. I’m super grateful they gave me that opportunity and I’m super grateful to be a Miami Hurricane.”
And as Miami’s current group of NFL hopefuls made their way through Monday’s drills, some of the Hurricanes who’ve come before them offered their support, as has become a tradition of sorts at Pro Day.
NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin was on hand. So, too, was Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta. Recent Miami alums Jalen Rivers and Elijah Arroyo, both of whom just finished their rookie seasons, made it a point to be there, too.
For all of them, Pro Day is a rite of passage at The U – whether they’re on the field, hoping to make an impression, or have already heard their names called at the NFL Draft.
“I feel like this is such a huge step for these guys going through this process,” said Arroyo, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks last year and is now a Super Bowl champion. “I’ve been through it and I just wanted to be able to show my support to them.”
With the Combine and Pro Day now behind them, Miami’s draft-eligible prospects will wait to see what their respective futures hold.
The work of preparing for the draft will continue. There will be more personal workouts, more conversations with teams, more training.
All of it, they hope, will help lead to the calls they’ve been waiting for their entire lives.
“I’m going to be crying like a baby. I already know,” Bain said with a smile. “I’ve put so much work into this. Being in here, staying after practice, being early before practice, getting everything done, make sure I give my all to football because I know football gave its all to me. I’m just ready for the moment.”
