When the New York Giants were planning out how the 2026 NFL Draft was going to go throughout their pre-draft process, there likely weren’t many scenarios where they envisioned Ohio State star Arvell Reese falling to them at No. 5 overall.
Many mock drafts had Reese going No. 2 overall to the New York Jets. Instead, Gang Green opted for Texas Tech’s “pro-ready” pass rusher David Bailey, and the rest is history.
For the rest of these two young defenders’ careers, they’re going to be compared to one another, considering they’re both playing in the same city, and the burden will be on the Jets to prove they made the right choice.
Head coach Aaron Glenn spoke about that decision today in his post-practice press conference.
Aaron Glenn Reveals Why Jets Passed on Arvell Reese
Glenn was asked what went into the decision that turned his team away from the New York Giants rookie, and if there was anything in particular about Reese that made the Jets turn to Bailey.
“Listen, we have our process. And those are two really, really good players. They’re going to be really good players in this league. The thing is, we want to make sure we make the best decision for us going forward. And we felt like Bailey was the best decision,” Glenn told reporters.
“Those are two really, really good players. We want to make sure we made the best decision for us going forward”
“Arvell is a special, special player. He’s going to do special things in this league. We like the direction that we went, and Bailey is going to be a good player for us.”
Glenn didn’t pull back the curtain too far on what exactly went into the Green & White’s decision to pass on Reese, but by reading the tea leaves, we’re able to make an educated guess.
The Jets are a team that needs to win in 2026. Glenn’s job hinges on showing progress from his first season at the helm, where they only managed to win three games.
Bailey was widely considered to be the win-now prospect throughout the pre-draft process thanks to his pass-rushing acumen. He was college football’s sack leader in 2025.
Reese, on the other hand, is supposed to be a bit more of a project, but he may already be shaking off that label with the Giants.
Did the Jets Make a Mistake Passing on Arvell Reese?
The idea that Reese wasn’t a “win-now” player throughout the pre-draft process was always a silly notion, and New York Giants fans who have been keeping tabs on the youngster throughout the summer should know that by now.
Reese has been a consistent defensive force for the Giants defense all throughout camp, and head coach John Harbaugh can’t help but rave about the 20-year-old phenom.
“He hasn’t really missed a beat at all. He learns really quickly, and he executes the defense very well; then when he doesn’t, he listens to every word from the coaches and applies it on the next opportunity,” Harbaugh said after Monday’s practice.
His ability to stop the run will be pivotal for New York’s defensive success in 2026, and his pass-rushing repertoire will only improve as he continues to develop.
Aaron Glenn Gets Blunt on Picking David Bailey Over Giants’ Arvell Reese