The New York Giants didn't let need deter them from drafting the best player available with the fifth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There was no world in which Arvell Reese should've fallen as far as he did, so even though the Giants didn't need an edge rusher, that value was too intriguing to pass up on.
However, Big Blue has a bit of a logjam on their hands off the edge. They have Brian Burns and Abdul Carter as the main game-wreckers, but Kayvon Thibodeaux is still in the mix too (for now). So John Harbaugh made sure to set the record straight on where the Giants plan to use Reese's many talents.
While addressing the media after Night 1 of the draft, Harbaugh revealed more on the thought process on why New York took Reese at five... and where he will fit in in the defensive blueprint. And believe it not, his answer isn't all that surprising when you consider what the Giants actually do need.
Arvell is a versatile player, and we're gonna play him at inside backer, WILL linebacker," Harbaugh said. Our defense is pretty flexible. Positionless, you might call it... Probably why he was a highest-rated non-quarterback player in the draft. He's an exciting player. We are fired up to have him.
The New York Giants plan to use Arvell Reese as a linebacker, not an edge rusher
Reese was an off-ball linebacker during his time at Ohio State, so he can play that role alongside Tremaine Edmunds. But he also has enough versatility where Dennard Wilson can use him creatively, and clearly, the Giants envision him as more than just your run-of-the-mill inside linebacker.
Part of why the G-Men were so interested in Sonny Styles throughout the pre-draft process was because he's an off-ball LB with the chance to help transform the new defensive identity, but is also versatile enough to make an impact in multiple different ways. Reese is the same, but more talented.
Frankly, the only reason they passed on Styles is that they were not expecting Reese to be there. I was fully anticipating the reigning Big Ten Linebacker of the Year to end up in Florham Park with the New York Jets at pick 2, but thankfully, the Jets made another mistake that should benefit the Giants.
Even with Reese set to play linebacker, I would still hope to see him play off the edge in some set packages. He's an elite run defender, more physical than Styles, and is a fantastic athlete. So even if he's just a situational edge rusher and main LB, his selection could spell the end of Thibodeaux in NY.
It's clear Harbaugh has big plans by adding a talent like Reese to this defense, so he was the perfect first pick of the Harbs era.
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