Francis Mauigoa jacket, explained: Miami prospect brings Samoan heritage to 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Before even stepping onto an NFL gridiron, Francis Mauigoa made his name and culture known to football fans.
While walking the red carpet with his family on the way into the draft room in Pittsburgh, Mauigoa showed off a stunning jacket featuring paintings that encapsulated his American Samoa roots.
The jacket featured the territory's flag, a boat significant in Samoan culture and other items holding cultural significance to him, his family and the islands. The jacket symbolizes his commitment to keeping that culture alive despite playing professional football nearly 7,000 miles away.
Here's everything you need to know about the former Miami Hurricane's Samoan heritage on display at the draft.
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While walking on the red carpet for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Mauigoa showed the cameras his jacket that flashed aspects of Samoan culture. Here is a video featuring the jacket.
.@FrancisMauigoa's suit pays homage to his Samoan heritage ❤️2026 NFL Draft- 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABCStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/1r76rTFFH7
Mauigoa's jacket features the American Samoa flag at the top, with an eagle inside a red-lined triangle on a blue background. A pair of palm trees sits adjacent to the flag. Just below that, displayed in front of a beautiful landscape, is a fautasi. This traditional 100-foot-long Samoan longboat can be used for transportation or racing and is a staple of Samoan culture.
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Mauigoa is from Ili'ili, American Samoa. The small town features a population of just over 3,000 people and is located in the southwest of Tutuila, the largest and most populous of American Samoa.
Mauigoa attended Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, California, where he began gaining national attention as a two-way lineman. He then attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and was one of the top players in the 2023 college football recruiting class. He was ranked No. 6 nationally by 247 Sports and was the No. 1 offensive tackle.
He chose to attend the University of Miami after having other offers from Oregon, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU, among others.
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