The first night of the NFL Draft is in the books, and the New York Giants walked away with Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, who are the first two draft picks in the John Harbaugh era.
Not many mock drafts had the G-Men taking Reese leading up to the draft; we were seeing a lot of Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, or Jordyn Tyson rumored at pick No. 5. I think the Giants were even a bit surprised Reese was available, and many anticipated him to get drafted by the Jets second overall.
While a lot of fans are hyped about Reese joining Big Blue’s new-look defense, it also leaves a couple wondering whether one of the Giants’ other pass rushers could be on the move. Harbaugh met with the media following the draft pick to address those rumors.
John Harbaugh says that Kayvon Thibodeaux is not going anywhere
Moments after drafting Reese, Harbaugh, and Joe Schoen addressed the media, reporters asked whether they intended to keep Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had been previously rumored to be traded before the Dexter Lawrence trade.
To say Giants fans got a helpful serving of word salad would be an understatement.
Harbaugh dismissed KT trade rumors, saying, "We keep all the good players as much as we can, right?" He glanced at Schoen, who answered, "Yup."
John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen were asked if the Giants are planning to keep Kayvon Thibodeaux after drafting Arvell Reese
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 24, 2026
Harbaugh: "We keep all the good players as much as we can, right?"
Schoen: "Yup." pic.twitter.com/MVRzEzfpit
On behalf of the fans, thanks, John.
While encouraging, this doesn’t guarantee anything. There’s still time for changes before training camp. The G-Men have several positional needs, so if an irresistible trade offer for Kayvon arises, they may consider it. Luckily, Big Blue has depth at edge rusher and linebacker.
Big Blue's four edge rushers make this the scariest pass rush in the NFL. I mean, how are opposing quarterbacks going to sleep well at night knowing that they have to face Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, KT, and now Reese? It’s a nightmare waiting to happen for every offense they'll encounter.
Kayvon could mentor Reese, knowing the pressure of being a top-5 pick in New York. Thibodeaux, the fifth overall pick in 2022, faced a similar draft strategy then, when the Giants also chose an edge rusher and offensive lineman, taking Evan Neal.
KT has battled injuries but excelled since joining the Giants in 2022. He recorded 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his second season and stated he aims for Michael Strahan’s single-season record of 22.5 sacks, recently broken by Browns’ Myles Garrett.
If Reese has a similar impact, the G-Men will be fine, and no opposing quarterback or offensive line will stop what the Giants throw at them with Burns, Carter, Thibodeaux, and Reese bringing relentless pressure each game.
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