When it first became clear the New York Giants intended to 2026 NFL draft fifth-overall pick Arvell Reese on the inside, many might have feared his dynamic talent for blitzing quarterbacks would be wasted. Fortunately, a former Giants coach who knows a thing or two about the blitz believes Reese will still be a “unique” playmaker, thanks to a comparison that will surprise many.
The Giants expect Reese to be elite, but ex-Big Blue defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale compared the first-round pick to a former NFL inside linebacker who never made the Pro Bowl.
Martindale told Talkin’ Ball podcast host Pat Leonard how Reese “can be just as effective inside as outside. I’m going to go old school again. Larry Foote, the old Pittsburgh linebacker could rush, you know, from the inside. You know, it’s a unique trait and I think the kid has it and it’ll be fun to watch, but he can also cover and I mean, he’s a good football player.”
Foote may not be the standout name many Giants fans want mentioned as the template for Reese. Yet, there are more than a few intriguing positives about Martindale’s comparison.
Starting with how Reese should transform a more creatively aggressive Giants’ defense.
Larry Foote Comparison Bodes Well for Arvell Reese
Foote didn’t collect many personal accolades, but he did win two Super Bowls as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those Steelers’ defenses ran the kind of elaborate pressure packages Martindale favored, only with a twist.
Martindale called defenses for the Giants from 2022-’23. He designed his schemes around heavy blitzing tethered to man coverage. Foote’s Steelers, by contrast, were faithful to the zone-blitz philosophy made famous by legendary DC Dick LeBeau.
New Giants’ coordinator Dennard Wilson is likely to use plenty of zone concepts in his defense, so Reese could be in line for the same role once played by current Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ outside linebackers coach Foote.
Wilson has a strong belief about Reese’s potential in his schemes, but there are other reasons why this defense can be better than any of Martindale’s units.
Giants Primed for Defensive Revival With ‘Unbelievable’ Blitzer
For all the blitzing the Giants did on Martindale’s watch, his scheme rarely produced a prolific sack artist off the edge. Wilson already has two of those at his disposal in the form of Brian Burns and Abdul Carter.
The latter is yet to post double-digit sacks, but there are multiple reasons why Carter is primed to dominate during his second season. Having bookend rushers as disruptive as Carter and Burns will enhance Wilson’s pressure schemes in a way Martindale’s never were.
It’s a similar story with Reese, with Martindale telling Leonard, “Hey Pat, I would have loved to have him.”
Wilson will have the player Martindale considers “in the top five of the best blitzers I’ve ever coached.” It’s safety Jason Pinnock, who returned to the Giants for a second tour this offseason.
Martindale applauded Pinnock’s “explosiveness and the way he can stay low to the ground, his bends, his movements, and the way he hits blitzes, you know. I always say, you know, hit your blitz like we live hard and fast, and that’s the way he hits them.”
Wilson turning Pinnock loose, alongside Reese, Carter and Burns, as part of zone-based pressures, can elevate the Giants’ defense. The unit has the core talent to be among the league’s most formidable, but it will depend on key players like Reese justifying the hype.
Former Giants Coach Makes ‘Unique’ Arvell Reese Comparison