Giants NFL Draft 2026: New York selects Arvell Reese at No. 5

With their first of two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants on Thursday selected Ohio State edge defender Arvell Reese No. 5 overall.

The first four picks were

• Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
• NY Jets — David Bailey, edge, Texas Tech
• Arizona Cardinals — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
• Tennessee Titans — Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

That left the Giants with all three Ohio State defenders to choose from — Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, and safety Caleb Downs. They also had the option of selecting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson or Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.

They chose Reese, who some thought would go No. 2 to the Jets. The possibility of the Giants selecting Reese had not been widely discussed pre-draft.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says:

At 20 years old, Reese is still growing into his frame and his game, but learning from James Laurinaitis (linebackers coach) and Matt Patricia (defensive coordinator) should give him a head start in acclimating to the pro game. He plays off-ball linebacker and stand-up edge with the talent to post impact production from either spot. His third-down versatility adds alignment variety and helps camouflage defensive intent. His run diagnosis and angles of attack are average, but he flows quickly once he triggers, using assertive hands to stack and play off blocks. He’s fast in pursuit and his tackle finishing could become elite. His rush is kinetic and tough for tackles to mirror. It’s under construction, but Reese has already sprouted go-to moves and rush plans that need more refinement. He might need some runway to hit his stride, but his rare blend of traits, explosiveness and versatility could become a perfect storm of chaos once a defense decides how to deploy him.

In his draft guide, Dane Brugler of The Athletic says:

STRENGTHS
● Tall, developed frame, with above-average length and sculpted build
● Twitched-up athlete, especially for his size — teammates were buzzing about his freaky talent since he enrolled
● Explosive in both movements and ability to generate power
● Shows impressive burst and flexibility as pass rusher, which allows him to win high side and flatten to the quarterback
● Able to forklift 320-pound blockers as blitzer from depth
● Plays balanced through contact in all phases
● Violent hands as take-on player; uses his long arms to stay detached on the edges
● Hard to find missed or overrun tackle attempts on 2025 tape
● Fluid change-of-direction skills in space to operate as spy or cover man
● Learned how to study and prepare playing behind (and rooming with) Cody Simon
● NFL scouts say Ohio State coaches praise his competitive toughness and the way he matured behind the scenes
● Versatile experience — spent time at edge rusher and multiple linebacker positions
WEAKNESSES
● Slender for an edge; doesn’t have ideal mass for NFL trench work
● Pass rush is based on athleticism and feel more than a strategic rush plan
● Play action and misdirection can create slight pause in his process
● Competitive and fluid in coverage but needs more man-to-man reps against backs and TEs
● Needs to develop awareness as a hole player to react with better decisiveness
● Only one season as a full-time starter (fewer than 1,000 career defensive snaps)
● Concussion on kickoff coverage (Sept. 2023) and missed five games as a freshman
SUMMARY
A starter for one-and-a-half years at Ohio State, Reese was a hybrid outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s multiple fronts. After spending time at edge defender and Mike linebacker as an underclassman, he became a joker defender in Patricia’s scheme in 2025. That role primarily asked him to be stacked, with some reps walked out and some on the edge. Box-score scouts will be unimpressed by his production, but his stats don’t accurately reflect his on-field impact, because he was primarily used as a spy and read player. Reese emerged as the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and became the first consensus All-America linebacker at Ohio State since James Laurinaitis (Reese’s position coach for the Buckeyes).

An impressive height/weight/speed athlete, Reese — who is also one of the youngest prospects in the draft class — was asked to play a blend of multiple positions, which showcased his vast tools for NFL scouts. He is explosive from his spot and has exceptional closing burst to cover ground in a blink. He can create short corners as a rusher, but will need time to become more of a pass-rush technician, in terms of setting up and sequencing different moves. He uses his length to anchor as an edge setter and skillfully deconstructs blocks
with elusive movements or violent, well-timed hands. Overall, Reese has the dynamic talent to play a variety of different linebacker or edge roles at a high level, although his ceiling as a pass rusher is his most valuable asset. It is hard to find versatile defenders with his caliber of explosive tools.

• NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State

Valentine’s View

This is a move I did not really think the Giants would make. It began to look like the Giants would go defense when the Cardinals took Love, and became a near certainty when the Titans surprised with the selection of Tate.

Reese can play off-ball linebacker, but seems more suited to the edge. Perhaps as Zierlein and Brugler indicate, he could be used in a versatile role — off the ball on run downs and on the edge as a rusher in passing situations.

With Reese, Abdul Carter, and Brian Burns on the roster you have to wonder if the Giants will revisit the idea of trading 2022 first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, an edge defender playing on his fifth-year option and seemingly headed to free agency after the 2026 season.

That idea has quickly been squashed by the Giants:

Giants round-by-round draft selections

Round 1 (No. 5) — Arvell Reese, OLB, Ohio State
Round 2 (No. 10 … via Cincinnati Bengals) —
Round 2 (No. 37) —
Round 4 (No. 105) —
Round 5 (No. 145) —
Round 6 (No. 186) —
Round 6 (No. 192) —
Round 6 (No. 193) —

More draft coverage

• Giants Draft Hub Page
• Big Blue View rules for draft success, 2026 edition
• NY Giants NFL Draft meetings tracker 2026: Players the Giants have met with
• Everything you need to know about the Giants’ 2026 draft before Thursday night

How to watch the rest of the draft

Rounds 2–3: Friday, April 24 — 7 p.m. ET

Rounds 4–7: Saturday, April 25 — 12 p.m. ET

TV: NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes

• NFL Network offers a league-focused broadcast
• ESPN and ABC provide separate primetime coverage and analysis

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