To the untrained eye, the selection of Arvell Reese may seem like the New York Giants hoarding EDGE rushers.
Yet, according to Reese, that is definitely not the case.
The newest Giants defensive linebacker opened up about joining fellow top-5 pick Abdul Carter and All-Pro outside linebacker Brian Burns after they chose him fifth overall at the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Reese was both an EDGE and an off-ball linebacker during his days at Ohio State. Though he was primarily scouted as an EDGE in the lead up to the draft, the Giants chose him, in part, because of his versatility.
Arvell Reese is ‘Very Excited’ to Play With With Abdul Carter, Brian Burns
Carter, like Reese, has a Big Ten pedigree from his days playing at Penn State. Reese and Carter lined up as opponents in the Buckeyes’ 20-13 win over the Nittany Lions on Nov. 2, 2024, yet now they are Giants teammates.
So when John Schmeelk of Giants.com rattled off the names of Carter, Burns and others who would be playing with Reese on the defense, the 20-year-old showed his exuberance.
“I’m very excited for that,” Reese said. “Just playing along side those guys is so crazy to even imagine. I’m very excited for it.”
Burns is coming off a 16.5-sack season in 2025 where he had more than 40% of the Giants’ sacks and earned his third career Pro Bowl honor. Carter is projected to be an elite game-wrecking EDGE, even though he disappointed at times during his four-sack, 25-solo-tackle rookie campaign.
Plus, Kayvon Thibodeaux, the fifth overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, is still on the roster, even though he is expected to be traded especially after the Giants chose Reese.
Aside from his new and talented teammates, Reese is also motivated to become one of the new faces in a long line of dominant Giants defensive players.
“The Giants [have] got a rich history especially on the defensive side,” Reese said. “Lawrence Taylor, I always knew about him growing up, so I’m excited to take on his role.”
Arvell Reese is Young But Seasoned Thanks to Ohio State
Giants fans may know Matt Patricia as a failed former NFL head coach from the Bill Belichick tree.
But even though he only played two years of college football, and is one of the youngest prospects in this draft, Reese feels he is the player he is at the moment thanks to Patricia, who is Ohio State’s defensive coordinator.
“He helped how I use my hands,” Reese said referencing Patricia. “The strikes and the hand position I had, Coach Patricia taught me that.”
Patricia, who only joined the Buckeyes a year ago, put a lot of faith in Reese to play multiple roles. Reese rewarded that faith by posting 69 tackles and 34 solo tackles, plus 6.5 sacks, while helping Ohio State go 12-2.
“When [Patricia] came in, he introduced that role to me,” Reese said. “It was on me to learn both. I had to learn on the ball and off the ball. … It was on me. I had to take on that role [and] I didn’t back down from it.”
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