Giants Draft UCLA LB Darius Muasau in Sixth Round

The New York Giants added one more defender with their final scheduled pick.

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

The New York Giants have capped off an apparently B1G weekend at the NFL Draft.

After taking Penn State and Purdue men with their first two Saturday picks, Big Blue used its final scheduled pick on a defender from one of the newest Big Ten members, as UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau was taken as the 183rd overall selection.

Muasau spent the final two years of his career at Westwood after transferring fro Hawaii and amassed 436 tackles, including 16 sacks, over five collegiate seasons.

The Skinny

If Muasau has proven one thing, it's that he can hit: he led the nation in solo tackles (66) during his sophomore season in Honolulu during the topsy-turvy 2020 campaign. Muasau also picked up 14 tackles for loss in that season alone and reached double figures again with 10.5 as a Bruin last time around. Further destruction created through his tackles includes six forced fumbles.

While the physicality is there, Muasau has been a bit of a liability in coverage, particularly when receivers create space and angles. That hasn't stopped Muasau from manning the middle to the tune of 14 pass breakups and five interceptions.

Seeing the Giants draft another defender is a bit interesting considering that general manager Joe Schoen seemed confident in the "continuity creators" he has brought in and established over the past few years, including the two acquired last night. Muasau faces an uphill battle with Bobby Okereke sticking around for a few years but will get to fit Cleveland arrival Matthew Adams. While his straight-minded skillset might've made more sense in the prior kickoff setup, finding a role on special teams also isn't out of the question.

Mausau picks up a sack / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report

A linebacker with muscular build and an unrelenting desire to chase after the football, Muasau plays with a phenomenal motor and has the instincts and recognition to get the jump on blocking schemes. He plays with good initial quickness but lacks extended pursuit speed in space. He will take shots downhill to spoil the action, but teams will have to live with missed tackles and inconsistent leverage in his pursuit."

"Muasau can handle some basic short-zone coverage but could get in trouble if the coverage expands into larger spaces. He has the potential to make the back end of a roster as a late-round pick or priority free-agent addition."-Lance Zierlein

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