Panthers No. 70: Is Frederick Mauigoa strong enough for the NFL?

Could offensive lineman Frederick Mauigoa make an impact with the Carolina Panthers if he improves his strength at the next level?

We are now just 70 days away from the Carolina Panthers returning to action in their week one clash against the Las Vegas Raiders. The NFL is still planning to start on time despite the current climate. Although things are set to look far different in stadiums league-wide during the campaign.

This has the potential to be one of the more intriguing seasons in recent memory for the Carolina Panthers. It’s hard to put into words the level of change that has taken place across the board within the organization. And it is going to be interesting to see how this new-look roster comes together under a coaching staff that is devoid of any real experience at the next level.

Continuing our countdown feature ahead of the 2020 campaign, we now turn our attention to Carolina’s No. 70. Frederick Mauigoa might not have heard his name called in this year’s NFL Draft. But he was an intriguing free-agent pickup by the Panthers given their lack of depth on the offensive line.

Mauigoa comes into a limited training camp having had two successful seasons at Washington State under his belt. And with plenty of questions surrounding the long-term future of Carolina’s starting center Matt Paradis. This is the ideal situation for the player to be coming into.

How he performs in a critical few weeks before the decision-makers finalize their 53-man roster will go a long way to determining just what sort of role Mauigoa will have with the team. There is also a chance he ends up on the free-agent scrapheap. And the player might see himself as one of the sacrifices regarding the decision to trim down rosters to 80 ahead of camp.

It would be something of a surprise if Mauigoa wasn’t at least given the opportunity to show what he is capable of at camp. But whether this is enough for him to be on the Panthers’ for week one is another matter entirely.

The lineman does have some likable traits that can make a transition to the next level. But the prominent concern for Mauigoa is strength against more powerful defensive tackles across the league.

Will Frederick Mauigoa’s strength hamper his chances with the Carolina Panthers?

Mauigoa can be classed as a solid blocker coming out of college. And he does have the frame to improve physically over time. There won’t be any sort of expectations from the Carolina Panthers in terms of the player making an immediate impact. And this is something that could be of significant benefit if he does enough to make the team.

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Spending considerable time in the weight room to improve his upper and lower body power and stability will do his chances of a successful career in the NFL the world of good. Another element of his game that needs some substantial work is the explosive nature of his blocks, which have taken some time to get going on occasions.

His superb footwork got him out of jail in college. But that will not be the case in a professional environment.

Mauigoa does have a good football brain. And he is a strong communicator on the field which is essential for anyone playing at the center position.

Paradis is the No. 1 option as he goes into the season. And this is going to be his last chance of forging a long-term career with the Panthers.

Versatile lineman Tyler Larsen will back him up. But Mauigoa does have a chance for a longer stay in Carolina if he makes a smooth adjustment.