With the 183rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the New York Giants have selected UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau.
The 6-foot, 225-pound Muasau began his college career at Hawaii before transferring to UCLA in 2022. He appeared in 61 games, collecting 436 tackles (230 solo, 40 for a loss), 16.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, 14 passes defensed, five interceptions and one defensive touchdown.
Muasau, 23, was named First-team All-Mountain West in 2020 and 2021, and earned Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023.
Although Muasau is considered undersized for the position, he balances that out with a relentless motor and a no-fear attitude. He routinely sniffs out and chases down the ball, and finishes by forcing turnovers.
Because Muasau is on the smaller side and is forced to rely on heavy hitting and occasional gambles, he does miss more tackles than the Giants would like. Working on that discipline while not taking away what makes him productive will be key.
Muasau will compete for a roster spot but may end up on the team’s practice squad unless he carves out a valuable role on special teams. His style of play may be best suited for that, allowing him to sneak on the final 53 as he develops at the pro level.
