New York Giants first-round pick Francis Mauigoa addressed concerns about his back injury shortly after being selected 10th overall in the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday.The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Miami offensive lineman, who prefers his Samoan nickname "Sisi," downplayed the issue that drew attention during the pre-draft process.Mauigoa dealt with a herniated disc that caused mild symptoms late in the 2025 season. He returned to Indianapolis for a medical recheck two weeks before the draft. The condition is currently asymptomatic and not considered significant.Physicians found no immediate red flags after testing, though some teams anticipate he may eventually need surgery.
If the disc flares up and requires intervention, recovery could sideline him for roughly three months and potentially impact his rookie season."I haven't really thought about it. I know my body, but the physicians know more about me but I know my body. I feel really good and ready to go day one," Mauigoa told reporters.
"They were saying I'm good. They did all the testing and stuff and they didn't find anything. It's just an image at that point, but I wasn't really paying attention; I was just ready to play ball."Like I said, I didn't really pay attention to it, but I know some physicians told me some advice for later on, but I'll handle that when the time comes.
Right now, my body is feeling great. I can't wait to get back to it."General manager Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh also appear unconcerned."We're comfortable with it. We're fortunate that the former trainer from the University of Miami (Adam Bennett) is now one of our trainers," Schoen said.
"So we have somebody that's been with him for his entire time at Miami, and lived with him through the process. It was an injury that occurred in the Texas A & M game, and we were certainly comfortable with it."Right now he's fine. He's good right now."The Giants conducted thorough medical due diligence before making the selection, viewing Sisi as a high-upside guard/tackle versatile prospect. However, a future procedure is certainly in the cards.This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants pick Francis Mauigoa dismisses back injury fears: 'Body feels great'