How Giants Darius Muasau Fits into Giants Defense

The New York Giants addressed their linebacker need by selecting UCLA's tackling leader Darius Muasau.

UCLA Bruins linebacker Darius Muasau / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

It was difficult to envision the New York Giants leaving the 2024 NFL Draft without selecting an inside linebacker to bolster a rather thin unit. 

@CountryGiants #NYGiants select UCLA LB Darius Muasau with their final pick in the 6th round of the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/KJCX5trPOF

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) April 27, 2024

So in the sixth round with their final pick, they plucked UCLA's leading tackler, Darius Muasau. The 2023 second-team All-Pac-12 selection has led the Bruins in tackles over the past two seasons, tallying 166 total tackles. 

Before joining UCLA, he was a two-time first-team All-Mountain West performer for the University of Hawaii. He was also an honorable mention Phil Steele All-American and one of five finalists for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award as a freshman for the Rainbow Warriors. 

Yes, the Giants have Bobby Okereke in the position. Still, Micah McFadden and Isaiah Simmons carry question marks, and the remaining backers behind them are all special teamers or unknown commodities. 

Although he's a sixth-round pick, Muasau has a chance to impress the coaching staff and work his way into the two-deep at the position. 

What's to Love?

Two of the most underrated aspects of playing linebacker are the ability to play through bumps and bruises and to relentlessly hunt the football. Muasau is a remarkably durable linebacker, considering he is only 6-0 and 225 pounds. 

He has answered the call in over 60 games in his five-year collegiate career. That is a remarkable level of consistency. 

The best ability is availability, which has allowed him to perform at a high level. That performance includes being the leading tackler on his team over four straight seasons. 

That is due to his instincts on the field and his desire to pursue the ball carrier. He is a smart linebacker who diagnoses a play quickly and understands how to maneuver himself to the football. That has resulted in a lot of success on the field. 

What Needs to Improve?

As intelligent, intuitive, and aggressive as he is, Mausau still tends to miss tackles. There are likely a few things that you can point to as reasons for missed tackles. 

The first is his aggressiveness. Sometimes, when a linebacker is aggressive like Mausau, he can over-pursue the ball carrier and open up potential cutbacks for the runner. That can leave him reaching for tackles without an adequate base to bring the ball carrier down. 

Sometimes, missed tackles are a product of stopping your feet on contact. He has a tendency to allow rushers to wiggle free from his clutch because he is not exploding his hips through the ball carrier on contact while running his feet. 

Both of these things can lead to missed tackles but both can be improved with practice and attention to details. 

How He Fits

Mausau can earn a spot on the two-deep like Micah McFadden earned his shot to start. He will impress with his instincts and motor skills, so he will immediately carve out a role on special teams. 

He can move up the depth chart by consistently being around the football during OTAs and training camp. His ability to diagnose the play will be valuable, especially on the kickoff team with the new kickoff rules. He should have an immediate impact there. 

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