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Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau (53) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NY Giants ILB Darius Muasau Reflects on His Growth in the Game

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 12:00 PM ET

New York Giants inside linebacker Darius Muasau is not a player who is choosing to take a single rep of his second NFL training camp lightly.

As one of the Giants' recent late-round draft selections, it's been engraved in his mind to constantly go out there and perform like his career is on the line on every play.

He had to adopt that mindset early in his football life, given that he comes from a small city in Hawaii and had to prove himself to the league as he wasn't deemed the most enthralling prospect coming out of UCLA in last year's class.

Nonetheless, Muasau doesn't let his background or limited intangibles restrict his confidence and how he is attacking his latest opportunity in year two with New York.

He is a physical player by nature, and in the leadup to the 2025 season, is approaching each day with a competitive edge that comes from knowing he can grow and contribute to the team in any way.

"I think that’s the way you've got to attack it, like every day I’m competing for a starting job," Muasau said after the Giants' 10th camp practice on Monday.

"Although I might not be starting, I might be special teams – anyway that I can contribute to the team. That’s really what I’m all about."

Off the field, Muasau is a laid-back, chill type of guy who offers a friendly smile and is soft spoken. But on the field, he morphs into a different personality.

"I’m trying to develop my game. I felt a lot of growth throughout the year playing under (Head Coach Brian Daboll), learning the defensive scheme, learning how to become a pro,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot learning from both Bobby (Okereke) and Micah McFadden."

John Jones-Imagn Images

There were not a lot of expectations placed upon Muasau when the Giants organization elected to take a flyer on him at the 183rd overall pick in the 2024 draft.

At most, the belief was that he'd start his career off as a full-time special teams player and eventually work his way up the ranks of the inside linebackers room that Okereke and McFadden led.

Yet, the 24-year-old's debut would quickly go in a very different direction. Muasau created his welcome to the NFL moment in the Giants' season opener at MetLife Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings when he recorded what would be one of the team's five interceptions all season long, albeit in a disappointing 28-3 loss.

Later on in the season, Okereke would go down with a back ailment that forced him to miss the final five games of the campaign, and the rookie would be given a chance to step into his place and learn on the job.

Muasau delivered, finishing eighth on the Giants' defense with 55 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, and one pass deflection in 15 games.

While his coverage needs further growth, Muasau has shown flashes of being a solid defensive piece against the run, recording 25 stops and only whiffing on eight of his 55 total takedowns. It's all on his mind as he goes through his second stretch of heat-filled practices with his teammates.

"Year two, I just feel building off of what we had last year, as a team and defensively, this is year two going into (defensive coordinator) Coach Shane (Bowen)’s defense and I feel like we added a lot of pieces this offseason and I feel like the puzzle is complete right now," Muasau said. "It’s just a matter of us putting it together, going out there and executing on Sundays."

But what did stand out in Muasau's progression and continues to do so as camp rolls on into mid-August, was his innate ability to win the mental battles that come on the gridiron and being prepared to anticipate plays before they even happen.

Compared to his veteran counterparts, Muasau didn't boast the same level of speed or athleticism, but what helped him cut the corners was his unique set of instincts for the pigskin. It was a talent he developed from a very young age, realizing he could gain an edge over his competition at every level of the sport.

"I think instincts are just a part of who I am. I’m not the biggest, I’m not the fastest, I’m not the strongest, but when I get out there, I feel like that’s what makes me unique, just my instincts. That’s why I’m able to play at this level, and I feel like that’s what made me unique. That’s why I got to the NFL, I feel, is just my instincts,” he said.

From watching many other great linebackers develop that same trait and using it to impress the coaching staff enough to let him maintain a large role late last season, Muasau is certainly going to make sure his instinctual play is his calling card that aims to separate him from the pack of a more crowded inside linebackers room this season.

Suppose he can play between his ears, trust what the game is telling him, and make a few more valuable plays in whatever workload he gets on the defensive side of the ball. In that case, he can disregard those lacking measurables and hopefully help the Giants silence their critics.

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