Luckily for the New York Giants, rookie linebacker Arvell Reese is all too familiar with playing on national television.
Reese played his entire college career at Ohio State, and you had a far greater chance to watch the Buckeyes than you did with Rutgers or Northwestern. He made his NFL debut on “Sunday Night Football” last weekend, and next up is a Monday night showdown with Matthew Stafford and a loaded Rams roster.
Much of the talk entering Week 2 has involved Aaron Donald, and the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has all but confirmed he’ll suit up against the Giants. Without diminishing the impact that Donald could provide in his first game since 2023, let’s make sure we don’t ignore Reese.
New York Giants rookie Arvell Reese could make his presence felt against Matthew Stafford and the Rams
To their credit, the Rams’ offensive line didn't allow a sack in their Week 1 loss to the 49ers. We're sure, though, that Rams fans — and fantasy football owners! — would have been fine with Stafford taking a couple of sacks if it meant throwing for more than 155 yards and failing to record a touchdown.
Reese's five tackles, one of which went for a loss, might not have stood out in the Giants’ Week 1 box score. But considering that he’s still transitioning from edge rusher to interior linebacker, things could have gone far worse, especially against a potent Cowboys offense. That holds true for the Giants’ defense as an overall unit, which limited Dallas to 244 total offensive yards in a stunning upset.
By no means are we making Reese out to be a Defensive Rookie of the Year lock, nor are we guaranteeing he’ll record his first sack on Monday night. The Rams have done an excellent job of protecting Stafford in recent years, allowing only 81 sacks since the start of 2023. Justin Herbert has taken 127 sacks in that time, and he's played two fewer games than the reigning NFL MVP.
Dennard Wilson’s defense showed impressive aggressiveness against Dallas and maximized playing a Cowboys offensive line lacking standout left guard Tyler Smith. The Rams did not list any of their offensive linemen on Friday’s injury report, though All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua did not practice with a hip injury.
Reese saw his fair share of critics throughout the offseason, many of whom questioned why the Giants took him, and not Ohio State teammate Sonny Styles, at No. 5. Malik Nabers infamously called out the pick during a draft night live stream, not realizing that Wilson and John Harbaugh intended to move Reese to interior linebacker.
If all goes to plan on Monday night, Nabers might need to offer one final public apology and reiterate how much he believes in Reese, because it’s clear the Giants feel that way.
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