Blogging The Boys
With the Dallas Cowboys season now fully in draft mode, this is a good time to continue looking at the biggest needs for Dallas. We are looking at the key prospects in the first round the Cowboys could take with either of their Day 1 picks. In this edition, we look at the offensive tackle position.
Strengths:
Mauigoa is a power-built right tackle who wins the simple way – with a strong base, heavy hands, and good technique. PFF grades him as one of the best tackles in the country in 2025 with a 83.1 overall grade and a 86.4 pass blocking grade that ranked sixth among all tackles. He anchors against bull rushers, re-sets his hands well, and doesn’t get walked back into the pocket often. In the run game he has a mauler temperament with powerful explosiveness and violence on contact.
Weaknesses:
The main concerns are more about fit and refinement than ability. His range and balance versus speed is more adequate than dominant, meaning quick, bendy edge rushers can stress him if his feet get out of sync. There’s still plenty of room to clean up the occasional loss he had this season.
Summary:
Mauigoa profiles as a high-floor NFL starter because his pass protection is already pro-ready and his play strength shows up every week. The question is whether he’s a long-term right tackle or an All-Pro-caliber guard depending on team preference. His extensive starting experience will be a key factor, and his extremely low damage allowed over the past two years (three sacks in over 1,000 passing sets), places him among the early top prospects in this years draft.
(Top-5 prospect)
Strengths:
Fano is a steady, pro-ready right tackle who wins with clean technique and strength. He keeps his base under him, gets his hands inside early, and doesn’t panic against stunts or blitz looks. He did not allow a single sack in 2025 and gave up only five total pressures on 382 pass-blocking snaps. In fact, the last time he allowed a sack was in Week 1 of the 2024 season. He’s also a legit tone-setter in the run game and takes good angles with enough athleticism to get to the second level. That’s the reason why he became the Outland Trophy winner this year and a captain for Utah.
Weaknesses:
Most concerns are about his NFL projection details rather than effort or toughness. Most of his toughest reps came versus bendy edge rushers, where his hands can get fail to find the mark when he has to recover late. He’s also a little lighter than most NFL tackles playing at less than 300 pound, so continuing to add lower-body strength helps him stay rock-solid against power rushers over long games.
Summary:
Fano is the kind of tackle coaches trust because the pocket stays clean. He’s consistent, technically sound, and strong enough to handle power without needing constant help. With an impressive 2025 season, plus major...
