New York Giants Took Bold Gamble on Arvell Reese — And it Worked

Back during the NFL Draft, there were some who believed that Arvell Reese was the best player in the class. With the New York Giants picking fifth overall, there didn't appear to be much of a chance that Reese would fall to them.

But that is exactly what happened, and the Giants jumped at the opportunity.

It seemed like a rather odd fit at the time, considering most viewed Reese as an edge rusher. After all, he racked up 6.5 sacks during his final season at Ohio State, and his size, length and athleticism screamed "edge defender" on the NFL level.

However, New York already had Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the edge. Heck, Chauncey Golston, too.

So why were the Giants taking yet another pass rusher?

Well, because New York was one of only two teams that didn't view Reese that way.

During a recent interview with ESPN, Reese revealed that the Giants and the Minnesota Vikings were the only two clubs who had Reese tabbed as a linebacker.

"Everyone else pretty much said 'he's an edge guy,'" Reese said.

You couldn't blame everyone else, either. Especially in a modern era where elite edge rushers have been prioritized and inside linebackers have seen their importance fade.

But don't tell that to Reese, who has already racked up 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, an interception and four passes defended during his rookie campaign. His 27 solo tackles lead the NFL, and last week, he rattled off nine tackles, a pick and three passes defended during a win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Alongside of Tremaine Edmunds, Reese has helped fortify New York's linebacking corps, which was a glaring weakness a year ago.

Of course, Reese still has plenty left to prove, but the Giants' first-round gamble on the 21-year-old certainly seems to be paying off thus far.

New York entered 2026 with one of the most ferocious-looking front sevens in the league, but Brian Burns' season-ending knee injury obviously made things a bit dicey.

Burns is irreplaceable, but there is no doubt that Reese's presence up front certainly makes the loss of the Giants' top defender a bit more palatable.

Reese's versatility has already been on full display, and while he is playing the off-ball linebacker role in New York, it's clear that he also has the ability to be used in pass-rushing situations.

For now, though, Reese appears to be developing into a bona fide linebacker, and that's something that only the Giants (and the Vikings, apparently) foresaw.