NY Jets draft Cam Ward's college buddy in athletic LB Francisco Mauigoa

The Jets have a new linebacker!

Justin Fried

Francisco Mauigoa / Stacy Revere/GettyImages

The New York Jets have added more defensive depth on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Miami linebacker Francisco Mauigoa with the No. 162 overall pick.

Mauigoa, a native of American Samoa, spent two years at Washington State before transferring to Miami, where he eventually reunited with former college teammate and now No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Ward also crossed paths with Mauigoa in Pullman before leaving to join Miami in 2024.

Known for his instincts, downhill speed, and leadership, Mauigoa projects as an immediate special teams contributor for the Jets while providing valuable depth at linebacker. This was the Jets’ second consecutive defensive selection after trading up earlier in the day to land Alabama safety Malachi Moore.

With only one pick remaining in this year's draft, the Jets are clearly focusing on rounding out the roster with high-energy, high-character players who fit the competitive identity head coach Aaron Glenn is trying to establish.

What role can Francisco Mauigoa play for the NY Jets?

Mauigoa’s experience as Miami’s defensive signal-caller and his aggressive mentality should make him a strong addition to the team's special teams unit right away.

Still, there could be a bigger opportunity down the line. Quincy Williams, one half of the Jets' standout linebacker duo, is entering the final year of his contract and has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason.

With Williams set to turn 29 before Week 1 and Jamien Sherwood already locked in as a future piece, Mauigoa could eventually compete for a larger defensive role if he develops properly under the Jets’ new coaching staff.

At the very least, he has a chance to earn playing time early in his NFL career as the Jets' third linebacker. The team's linebacker depth behind Williams and Sherwood is lackluster, with the likes of Zaire Barnes, Marcelino McCrary-Ball, and Jamin Davis serving as his primary competition.

Mauigoa is a two-time All-ACC selection, a team captain, and an outstanding athlete who posted an excellent 9.13 RAS. He needs to clean up his missed tackles and improve in pass coverage to become a consistent defensive contributor, but it's easy to see what the Jets like with this pick.

The Jets are betting on Mauigoa’s athleticism, instincts, and high football character as the foundation for a future role. At worst, he should be an immediate special teams ace, and at best, he could develop into a valuable piece of the linebacker rotation in the years to come.

Those are the types of picks you make on Day 3 of the draft.

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Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.