Israel Mukuamu was born on November 28, 1999, he is an American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played college football in South Carolina.
As a true freshman in 2018, Mukuamu played in all 13 games with 2 starts, making 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, one pass was broken up and a forced fumble. His first start came at safety in the twelfth game against the University of Akron.
As a sophomore in 2019, he was named the starter at safety for the season opener, before being moved to right cornerback opposite future NFL player Jaycee Horn. He received second-team All-SEC honors after finishing with 13 starts, 59 tackles (2 for loss), four interceptions (led the team), and 9 pass breakups.
He had a standout game in the 20-17 upset win against the third-ranked University of Georgia, while collecting 11 tackles and 3 interceptions, including one returned for a 53-yard touchdown. He received National Defensive Player of the Week honors for his effort.
As a junior in 2020, Mukuamu played in 6 games with 5 starts at both cornerback and safety. He was limited with a recurring groin injury, recording 10 tackles and 2 interceptions (tied for the team lead).
He had a highlight one-handed interception against the University of Florida. On November 17, 2020, following the dismissal of head coach Will Muschamp, Mukuamu opted out of the remainder of 3 games of the season to focus on his preparation for the 2021 NFL Draft. He finished his college career after appearing in 31 games with 19 starts while making 86 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 10 pass breakups.
Israel Mukuamu signed a 4 year, $3,610,708 contract with the Dallas Cowboys, including a $130,708 signing bonus, $130,708 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $902,677. In 2022, Mukuamu will earn a base salary of $825,000, while carrying a cap hit of $857,677 and a dead cap value of $98,031.