The jets have selected Miami LB Francisco “Kiko” Mauigoa Tour 5 with the overall selection n ° 162 of the NFL 2025 draft. The selection was the first choice of draft never announced in Scotland.
In four college seasons of Washington State (2021-22) and Miami (2023-24), Mauigoa appeared in 51 games (39 departures) and totaled 255 plated, 35 TFL, 13 bags, 12 pds, 6 SF and 3 ints. Last season with the Canes, Mauigoa recorded 96 career plated and added 11 TFL and 6 PD. In 2023, Mauigoa arrived in Miami and set personal records with 18 TFL and 7.5 bags. MAUIGOA (6-2, 233) led Miami in plated and TFL its junior and senior campaigns while carrying the green point.
“The touch line of the touch -type guy,” said Mauigoa about his play style. “Just create turnover – it’s the best way to win games is to create reversals and make the offense get the ball as much as possible throughout the match. And fast and physical, descend, make plated in the rear field and try to create chaos.”
Raised in American Samoa, Mauigoa attended Tafuna HS and played QB for two seasons. He and his younger brother, Francis, joined a host family in San Bernardino, California, and Kiko played in both directions in the Catholic HS of Aquin. The boys returned to the American Samoa in 2020, and he played his senior season in Tafuna before he and Francis were transferred to the IMG academy of Bradenton, Florida. The state of Washington was the Lone Power 5 offer from Mauigoa and it became their 12th grade recruit in the 2021 class. It appeared in 25 games for Washington’s state from 2021-22222, recording 77 plated, 6 TFL, 3.5 bags, 3 FF, 2 pds and 1 int.
Mauigoa’s selection comes from Pittsburgh, who exchanged it to the jets for WR Mike Williams on November 5 of last season. The Steelers initially acquired the choice of RAMs.
“The jets were one of the few organizations that followed me,” Mauigoa told journalists. “It’s a blessing, it’s long to come. But I’m happy to be part of something special, so I’m just excited.”
The jets used n ° 162 to write a player five times previous: Ohio FB Bob Brooks (1961, AFL) Texas DT Scott Palmer (1971), Mississippi Te Burney Veasey (1974), Northwestern State of Jones (1999) and Tennessee QB Erik Ainge (2000).
The third and last day of the draft, the jets selected Georgia Wr Arian Smith (Round 4, No. 110), exchanged the fourth round to take the Alabama S Malachi Moore (n ° 130), then caught Mauigoa to the turn 5.
