New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese was considered a consensus top-five prospect throughout the 2026 NFL Draft process. Roughly a quarter of the way through the season, it's fair to wonder if that assessment was too conservative.
Reese is an absolute baller, man. The No. 5 overall pick is so comfortable doing whatever the Giants need, looking every bit like the "chess piece" he claims to be. It's been incredible watching him emerge as a true difference-maker from the outset, and his Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) case is only getting stronger.
But how does Reese stack up against his newbie peers in the DROY race so far? Let's see where he stands after helping New York claim sole possession of first place in the NFC East for the first time since 2020.
Where does Arvell Reese rank in 2026 quarter-season Defensive Rookie of the Year race?
5. CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs
Delane has been a huge asset for the Chiefs. His efforts have been critical to their 4-0 mark after they traded up to get him in the spring. He's made losing their top two cornerbacks, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason a much easier pill to swallow.
Despite missing Week 2 due to a shoulder issue, Delane has the fifth-most defensive stops among rookies (eight) through Week 4, excluding Monday Night Football. He's 58th in opponent passer rating (72.9) and 51st in completion percentage allowed (56.3) among 75 corners who have been targeted 10-plus times this season.
Nevertheless, history suggests positional value works against Delane in this race barring a truly dominant campaign. The last three CBs to take home DROY (Sauce Gardner, Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Peters) all earned Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro honors in Year 1.
4. EDGE David Bailey, New York Jets
There was no shortage of debate over whether the Jets should choose Bailey or Reese with the No. 2 selection. We all know how that turned out, and even with a small sample size, it seems there was no wrong answer because they're both awesome.
As advertised, Bailey has been the pro-ready pass rusher of his classmates. The former Texas Tech standout is tied for the most total pressures among rookies (11) and the second-most hurries (seven). He's the only one with more than one sack (2.0) and also has a forced fumble and a pass deflection.
While Bailey is proving he can get to the quarterback, he's not making enough of an impact elsewhere to surpass the names ahead of him.
3. LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders
The G-Men considered Styles, and it's easy to see why. He became the Commanders' primary on-field play-caller with veteran Frankie Luvu sidelined and delivered. Turning 22 in November, the physical specimen looks and operates well beyond his years.
It's rare to see a linebacker match a running back step for step, yet that's exactly what Styles did in Washington's upset victory over the Seattle Seahawks. His otherworldly blend of size and speed has been on full display. He's performing at a high level and only getting better, so it wouldn't be shocking to see him move up this list in due course.
2. LB Jacob Rodriguez, Miami Dolphins
As of this writing, Rodriguez is the odds-on betting favorite to win DROY. He's established himself as the Dolphins' field general, as evidenced by being the only rookie to wear the green dot in Week 1. His presence has been felt all over the gridiron.
Rodriguez trails only Alex Singleton of the Denver Broncos in combined tackles (46), including racking up 18 in a 15-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Texas Tech product is doing everything possible to prevent Miami from completely bottoming out, albeit in vain.
Make no mistake, Rodriguez looks great and is stuffing the stat sheet. The only problem is he's on a sapless Dolphins squad that many believe might actually finish 0-17. At some point, though, their success (or lack thereof) must factor into the equation.
1. LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants
As alluded to above, where teams sit in the standings matters when debating awards, at least to some extent. Rodriguez is a deterrent example, and Reese's contributions to the Giants' pleasantly surprising 3-1 start are the flip side of that coin.
However, Reese has the numbers to back up his spot atop the leaderboard through four games. He leads the league in solo tackles (27) and is surrendering just 6.6 yards per reception in coverage. New York is asking him to do so much and has been rewarded with an every-down stud.
His sideline-to-sideline range, physicality and elite athleticism have stood out in several ways. He's making a difference from the second level in the ground game and minimizing yards after the catch. We also saw him assume more pass-rushing work in the Giants' first contest without star Brian Burns, showcasing the versatility and untapped upside many lauded.
Note: Advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats and Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 (subscription required for both).
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