Draft season is just around the corner and there is no better time than now to start breaking down NFL prospects. This class is packed with players that are going to make an impact at the next level. I will cover every one of them from the big dudes in the trenches to the erasers patrolling the secondary. Let’s get started with a prospect from the West Coast, Darius Muasau of the UCLA Bruins.
The Background
Darius Muasau was a three-star recruit from Mililani High School in Hawaii, who stayed home to play for his home state team, Hawaii. Muasau played three seasons for the Rainbows (19’-21’) where he was named to the All MWC 1st team his last two seasons with Hawaii. He played in 37 games while recording 274 total tackles, 176 solo stops, 64.2% solo rate, 26½ TFLs, 11½ sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions (one returned 75 yards for a touchdown), and seven PBUs. He has back-to-back 100+ tackle seasons in 20’ (104) & 21’ (109), while averaging 9.68 tackles per game over that span. Muasau’s time at Hawaii graded highly on my IDP Rookie Draft Grade spreadsheet with a BCR (Blue Chip Rating) of 15.011 and a BPI (Big Play Impact Score) of 1.513.
After three years in Hawaii, Muasau would transfer to UCLA and finish out his two years of remaining eligibility. In his two seasons with the Bruins, Muasau played in 26 games and was named to the All Pac-12 second team both years. He recorded a total of 166 total tackles, 85 solo stops, 51.2% solo rate, 13½ TFLs, five sacks, one forced fumble, one recovery, three interceptions, and 10 PBUs. Surrounded by a better team and a step up in competition, points to his stat drops but his BCR (14.653) and PBI (1.288) still show his potential. Muasau finished up his career with 63 career games played, with 440 total tackles, 261 solo stops, 59.3% solo rate, 40 TFLs, 16½ sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, five interceptions, and 17 PBUs.
Player Breakdown
Muasau isn’t just your typical downhill-in-the-box linebacker, but a box score-filling high-effort do it all linebacker. He can man the middle of course, but he can also rush off the edges or drop back in coverage, as proven by his 16½ sacks and 17 PBUs in college. His biggest strengths are his instincts, vision, and play recognition which seem to always have him in position to make the big play. Muasau shows good quickness off the snap and the speed to turn and chase when needed. He is fluid in his movements, with the agility and balance to work through traffic. A tough high-motor player that has been as reliable as anyone in the country the past few years.
Muasau does very well when asked to play in space and can cover a variety of offensive players. He displays good awareness in coverage and is rarely out of position. Muasau uses a strong jam on outside receivers to disrupt them early in their routes. At the line of scrimmage or when engaged with blockers, Muasau plays with violent hands that routinely allows him to disengage and chase down the ball. He’s a quick processor and reads plays at an elite level. Another top strength of Muasau is that he’s a finisher!. He plays with physicality and is always looking for the opportunity to make the big impact plays.
The biggest limitation that he has is going to be his measurables. He is listed at a healthy 234 lbs but unofficially is listed at 5’11”. That’s well below the NFL standard which is roughly 6’2”. Will his height be an issue at the pro level? To this point in his career, it hasn’t but comes down to how teams feel. He doesn’t possess elite speed (4.80 forty) and is not the strongest more often than not. Muasau can be too aggressive at times and overrun the play and can be caught slipping occasionally by counter or trick plays. For the most part, his weaknesses can be corrected but his height is the elephant in the room. While he’s a good defender in coverage, he’s limited to being a zone defender.
NFL & Fantasy Projection
It’s early in the draft process but I currently have Muasau as a 6th or 7th-round draft pick for a team with linebacker needs and willing to take a shot on him. He played well in the East/West Shrine Bowl for the most part and that’s another box checked off for his draft stock. A couple of plays that stood out were a speed & angle play for a TFL but then was followed by a where he got washed out by an offensive lineman. You can see the good and bad and that’s what NFL scouts and coaches will need to sift through. Yes, he is a little shorter than you would like but to this point of his career, it hasn’t been a major issue.
Muasau isn’t the fastest, the strongest, or the tallest, but he gives 100% on every play and maximizes his efforts and skills which allows him to win any given play with regularity. I like him as an LB2 wherever he goes, as I believe that will help maximize his playmaking ability. He needs to be a Robin to someone else’s Batman. I expect that he’ll get drafted late by a linebacker-needy team and that shot will be all he needs to prove he belongs. No doubt that Muasau will have to work hard and earn it every day, but he has the mental makeup and skills to accomplish that.
In the fantasy world, I would be okay taking Muasau with a late-round dart throw or even claiming him off waivers if possible. You will need to be patient until we can see where he lands, how he fits, and what his role will be. Be patient! We have seen time and time again that where you start isn’t always where you finish. Stash him on the taxi squad and watch how things play out for him. I can see Muasau being a player who will need a couple of years to develop and can be that 3rd-year breakout type of player. That’s not to say he can’t or won’t make an impact right away, but just where I see him as of now.
Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy
