Miami 31, Ole Miss 27
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Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa has played well to close out the 2025 season. Mauigoa was excellent against Texas A&M and Ohio State in the Hurricanes’ playoff wins. Mauigoa was very good at opening holes for running back Mark Fletcher and protecting quarterback Carson Beck. Against Ole Miss, Mauigoa was not as good but was solid overall.
In the first half, Mauigoa tied up his defensive end to open a hole on a third-and-2 and then another run inside the five to produce a touchdown for Miami. He had a nice block to cut off the edge from Ole Miss speed rush linebacker Suntarine Perkins. Mauigoa rode him deep and then pancaked him into the turf. Mauigoa did not react late to a loop to the inside, which allowed pressure on Beck.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Mauigoa had a missed assignment, not picking up Perkins blitzing off the edge and letting him run free unblocked for a sack. The next play, Mauigoa gave up pressure when he got caught bending at the waist. It didn’t matter because Perkins got to Beck for a sack before Mauigoa’s defender got there, but he did meet Perkins at the quarterback to join in on the hit. Later in the fourth, Miami went behind Mauigoa on an off-tackle run that sprung Fletcher for a big gain. Mauigoa had some excellent plays in pass protection showing his quickness and agility to cut off the edge and force defenders to run themselves out of the play.
For the NFL, Mauigoa looks like a starting right tackle. He has quality strength at the point of attack and can generate a push in the ground game. While he is not an overwhelming bull, Mauigoa is a quality run blocker. He is also quick and agile enough to be an edge protector. Mauigoa looks capable of starting quickly as a pro. Next April, Mauigoa looks like a first-round pick.
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Miami defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr and Akheem Mesidor have been superb in the college football playoff. Bain and Mesidor ramped up a relentless pass rush to lead Miami to wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State. However, Ole Miss almost completely shut them down. Bain had some contributions as a run defender, but he was a non-factor as a pass rusher and totaled only one tackle in the game. Mesidor had a pressure and a nice hustle tackle in the first half, but Mesidor went out of the game for a while in the second half with an arm injury. He came back late in the fourth quarter, but was still not getting to the quarterback.
One of the Rebels who did an excellent job of blocking Bain and Mesidor was left tackle Diego Pounds. Pounds was stonewalling bull rushes and cutting off the edge in pass protection. His feet were not outstanding, but he was able to get Bain far around the pocket and tied up enough for his quarterback. Pounds got a huge block on Bain for a fourth-quarter touchdown pass that gave Ole Miss a late lead. Pounds may not have the feet and agility to be a starting left tackle in the NFL, but he could be a nice left guard. This tape is going to help Pounds’ draft grade, as he was very good taking on two future NFL starters and early-round picks.
For the NFL, Bain looks like a prospect for the middle of the first round. He is strong and quick at the point of attack. Bain shows a nice ability to shed and scrap with offensive linemen. On top of his functional strength, Bain has some speed to close, and he plays hard. Bain has an excellent motor, and he gets some sacks based on his effort. However, Bain is a tweener, as he lacks the height and length to be an NFL defensive end and the weight to be an NFL defensive tackle. Thus, some sources have him lower than others in the media. Bain’s issues getting off blocks from Pounds illustrated that, and this tape won’t help Bain’s chances of being a top-10 pick.
Mesidor has speed off the edge and plays with good leverage. He is quick to close and shows an ability to use his hands and feet at the same time. With agility and loose hips, Mesidor can redirect and weave through traffic. Some team sources have said they think Mesidor could be a day-two pick. However, Mesidor could rise in the lead-up to the draft and may end up being a candidate for the back half of the first round.
