Where does Josiah Tauaefa fit in Giants’ linebacker competition?

Josiah Tauaefa seems like a wild card when it comes to figuring out which linebackers will or will not make the New York Giants’ 53-man roster this season.

Let’s take a closer look at the 23-year-old second-year player.

The basics

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 232
Age: 23
Position: Linebacker
Experience: 1
Contract: Year 2 of two-year, $1.08 million deal

How he got here

An undrafted free agent of of Texas-San Antonio, Tauaefa led the Giants in tackles with 16 during the 2019 preseason. He initially made the practice squad, but was later added to the active roster and appeared in 12 games, mostly on special teams.

Tauaefa played only 22 defensive snaps, and ended up with 6 tackles, 5 solo, and 2 tackles for loss.

2020 outlook

This one is impossible to figure. The Giants added a number of linebacker candidates late in the draft. They have Blake Martinez, Ryan Connelly, and David Mayo. Yet, Tauaefa is a young, athletic player with special teams ability.

Best guess here is that he lands on the practice squad to start the season.