The New York Giants envisioned the type of dominant performance Arvell Reese delivered in their 19-11 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles when they selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The former Ohio State star not only filled the stat sheet with 12 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble and three quarterback hits, but his presence on the field earned him a game ball and high praise from Giants head coach John Harbaugh, who was all smiles when talking about his rookie defender.
"Yeah, I want to give him the grand slam,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s official website. “He had a bunch of tackles, he had [tackles for loss], he had sacks, he had pressures. But there were like six things he did stat wise that were amazing.”
Arvell Reese is already changing the Giants' defense
In total, Reese has been phenomenal all season long with 66 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss. He has been a force inside the box, whether getting after the quarterback or stopping the run, but he has also showcased the versatility that made him a top-five pick with his ability to drop back in coverage and defend the pass.
For a Giants team that has questions on the offensive side of the ball, mostly due to injuries, the way Reese and the defense have stepped up has been monumental to the team’s overall success. Leading the NFC East with a 5-2-1 record, Harbaugh’s crew is in a great position to take the division and clinch a playoff berth. Reese’s development has been one of the biggest storylines so far.
Along with the emergence of 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter, the maturation of the 6-foot-4, 241-pound linebacker has only reinforced the excitement the Giants organization had when he was taken with the No. 5 overall pick.
"I mean, it's what you hope for. I won't say we didn't think it was possible. I mean, that's what we hoped for and he fell to us," Harbaugh continued when asked about Reese’s development. "Joe [Schoen] and I were, we were giddy. I think we were kind of beside ourselves."
Harbaugh also praised Reese's toughness, humility, leadership and willingness to learn, noting that despite his impressive start, the young defender still has room to grow.
Arvell Reese is making his case for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
With a couple of monster games already under his belt, the scary part about Reese is that he is still learning and growing into his role at the NFL level. What's been impressive is how quickly he has adjusted his athleticism and versatility to the Giants' defensive scheme. He is a player who goes out and attacks opposing offenses no matter where he lines up.
He simply goes out and makes plays without worrying about his individual stats. When a player with Reese's ability lets the game come to him, good things happen, like becoming the youngest player in NFL history to record a three-sack game.
He's also becoming a major factor within the division. From his five tackles and quarterback hit against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 to recording his first sack against the Washington Commanders in Week 5, Reese has continued to build momentum.
Then came Week 9, when he put together the type of performance that should put him in consideration for another NFL Defensive Player of the Week honor and strengthen his case as a frontrunner for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
So, the Big Apple has every reason to be giddy about this defensive stud. Showcasing the defensive DNA that made him a star at Ohio State, Reese has not only lived up to his top-five draft status, but he has also arrived as a game-changing defender in the NFL.
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