The praise doesn’t come much bigger or better than this for an NFL rookie.
In this case, it’s praise for New York Giants inside linebacker and 2026 1st-round pick Arvell Reese.
ESPN put Reese at No. 1 on its list of the NFL’s top rookies headed into Week 8, with the Giants sitting at 4-2-1 and alone in first place in the NFC East Division for the first time since 2015.
The Giants selected Reese at No. 5 overall out of Ohio State and signed him to a 4-year, $47.8 million rookie contract. The Giants have a bye in Week 8 and return to action against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.
“Just as we saw during his final season at Ohio State, Reese’s physicality and speed have shown up right away at the NFL level,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid wrote on October 29. “He is comfortable attacking downhill as a run defender, and his consistency in coverage has been excellent. His four pass breakups are tied for the second most among all linebackers in 2026. Reese is the ultimate playmaker who can not only be used on the second level but is also equally as effective as a blitzer. He has 10 pass-rush wins and two pass breakups on 93 blitz attempts this season. Reese is a key building block for the Giants‘ defense alongside 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter.”
Arvell Reese’s Domination Began in Training Camp
Reese, 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, began staking his claim as the leader of his team’s defense from the start of training camp.
“The day and the practice was pretty much owned by a rookie, Arvell Reese,” SportsNet New York’s Connor Hughes said on Monday after the Giants went full pads for the 1st time on August 3. “I thought it was his most complete day so far … he blew up Cam Skattebo on a 3rd-and-2 and beat Andrew Thomas for a sack … Arvell Reese, the Giants rookie, starting to flash here at training camp.”
While Reese was open about wanting to play edge rusher, the Giants put him at inside linebacker, where they bottomed out in 2025. He’s done the job to this point.
“Going back and watching the (Giants) film on their off-ball linebackers in 2025 … just some true war crimes going on out there,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on July 1. “So many missed tackles. So many missed assignments. The Giants led the league with 75 different plays where they gave up 10 or more rushing yards. That’s just so many. (The off-ball linebackers) may have been the worst position group in the NFL.”
Giants Already Costing Reese Mad Loot
It’s easy to see why Reese wanted to go into the NFL as an edge rusher, not an inside linebacker, and insisted on doing drills at both positions at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Fred Warner, is playing on a 3-year, $63 million contract that pays him approximately $21 million per year.
The NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher, Houston Texans superstar Will Anderson Jr., just signed a 3-year, $150 million contract extension that pays him $50 million per year.
Giants Rookie Called ‘Ultimate Playmaker’ and NFL’s Best 1st-Round Pick