Since then Israel Mukuamu he wore an American football uniform in South Carolina, there was a debate about where he should play, given his size of six feet.
While he spent most of his time with Gamecocks as a corner, he has movie playback security and slot picker coverage for NFL Draft decision makers to evaluate. Whoever calls him and wherever he plays, Mukuamu wants NFL teams to know that he values his versatility and so should they.
“My versatility helps a lot. That’s what the NFL is looking for guys who can play in and out, ”said Mukuamu during his Pro Day press conference on Tuesday. “I already played outside the corner, played in the slot this year and played in safety this year. My versatility is the biggest part of my game because I can move around a lot and I am very big. There are guys who are versatile, but they are small and cannot go around and protect a tight end or a big receiver. I feel like I can do everything. “
If he could choose the position, playing one against one outside is where he would like to be.
“I personally think I fit the corner better,” said Mukuamu. “I think it is my most natural position, but whatever the teams ask of me, I will do it. I am a team player and you have seen it this year. I’m just trying to get through the door. The guys who are versatile stay longer and that’s what I want to do ”.
Mukuamu will step onto the training grounds in South Carolina for his Pro Day on Wednesday afternoon with a series of NFL general managers, coaches and dozens of scouts in attendance. What he wants them to see is their athleticism and that there are no restrictions for someone their size.
“People think 6-4 (for a defensive spine) and automatically think about tense hips, but with me that is not the case,” said Mukuamu. “People say that the eyes in the sky don’t lie, but to really see me move, you have to be there in person and see my hips move. I feel like I have very fluid hips. “
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Mukuamu played six of seven games as a junior in 2020 before opting for the last three games to start preparing for the NFL’s 2021 Draft process. He had 10 tackles and two interceptions last season.
On Tuesday, Mukuamu revealed a groin strain at the opening of the 2020 season, followed by two injuries from the injury, which prevented him from playing according to his standard. The second aggravation of his groin injury at Ole Miss was considered an injury at the end of the season, one of the main reasons why he decided to give up three days after that game.
Entering the 2020 season, he made 14 consecutive matches and had five career interceptions. His four interceptions, three in a game in 2019’s frustrating 2019 victory in Georgia, were the second most in the SEC that season. In the second year, he was fifth in the SEC, with 1.08 passes saved, 13 in 12 games.