Every New York Giants fan loves a good underdog story, and Darius Muasau is the perfect example of, if the shoe fits. When general manager Joe Schoen drafted the linebacker in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the expectations were modest.
Yet, the 25-year-old has pretty consistently outperformed his 183rd draft slot, playing with an undeniable engine when he sees the field.
As we head toward a franchise-altering 2026 summer training camp under new head coach John Harbaugh, the energy in North Jersey is changing. The linebacker room has transformed from a thin unit into a logjam, putting Muasau’s roster security under a microscope.
Related: A complete look at all 90 players on the New York Giants roster for 2026
If three's a crowd...
Schoen didn't take revamping the linebacker room lightly this offseason. The front office brought in heavy-hitting free agent Tremaine Edmunds on a massive $36 million deal, re-signed Micah McFadden to anchor the second level, and then used the No. 5 overall pick on blue-chip freak Arvell Reese.
They even signed other backend depth pieces and selected Jack Kelly out of BYU in the sixth round of the draft. But make no mistake about it: Edmunds, McFadden, and Reese are the three primary road blocks standing in Muasau's way.
For a sixth-round pick like Muasau, this summer is a blunt reality check: find a way to remain relevant against the new competition, or fall to the wayside. Not only is Harbs a linebacker guy, but he also demands that his backups double as elite core special teams assets, and with defensive snaps at an absolute premium behind the big trio, Muasau's room for error has all but evaporated.
It Tae-kes one to know one
This exact logjam brings to mind a hauntingly familiar fate that should give Big Blue fans serious pause: one career trajectory of Tae Crowder, anyone?
Drafted as "Mr. Irrelevant" in 2020, Crowder became a starter out of sheer necessity on a heavily depleted roster, logging 31 starts and 232 tackles over his first three seasons. But the illusion of those empty-stat tackles shattered. Crowder was inevitably benched, waived, spent a brief moment on the Tennessee Titans' practice squad, and has been out of the NFL ever since.
Unfortunately, the former Rainbow Warrior and UCLA Bruins standout is walking a similar tightrope today.
He stepped into a pretty big void during a messy transition for the defense, but the tape tells you what you need to know. When you watch him, the limitations are obvious. He has a hard time getting off blocks, and the speed just isn’t there when he has to go sideline to sideline. The effort’s there, but effort alone won't lock down a roster spot. If he doesn’t show a different gear over the summer and clean up some of those issues, he’s staring at the same outcome we just saw with Crowder.
Darius Muasau fun fact extravaganza
Before he was punishing ball-carriers in the NFL, Muasau was actually the one carrying the rock.
At Mililani High School in Oahu, Hawaii, he played running back all the way up until his senior season, sharing a pass-heavy backfield with superstar quarterback Dillon Gabriel, no less.
When he finally transitioned to defense full-time, he brought that relentless, downhill running back vision with him, transforming into an absolute defensive unit for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors before making the leap to the pros.
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