It didn't seem likely that pass rusher Arvell Reese would be available at No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft. But when he was, the New York Giants sprinted to write his name on their card.
Soon after, head coach John Harbaugh had the opportunity to speak with Reese over the phone. There, he shared his belief that divine intervention played a role in the pass rusher playing for the Giants, via the team's X, formerly Twitter account.
“We said God was going to make this happen and He did,” Harbaugh said.
They were FIRED UP for Reese 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ElACdzNlif
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 8, 2026
Article Continues Below
The Giants already had players like Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux on their roster. But as Harbaugh builds out his vision in New York, he couldn't resist adding a player like Reese to the front seven.
Over his three years at Ohio State, the linebacker put up 112 tackles, 13.5 tackle for a loss and seven sacks. After winning a national championship in 2024, Reese was named an All-American in 2025 after setting career-highs in tackles (69), TFLs (10) and sacks (6.5).
New York finished their 2025 season ranked 28th in total defense, allowing 359.5 yards per game. While their 39 sacks were more than 15 other franchises, it was clear the Giants needed another spark.
Harbaugh is fully expecting Reese to make a pivotal impact, at least based on his reaction. While they'll need to figure out exactly where he'll line up, New York at least knows they have another playmaker on the defensive side. Harbaugh, and Giants fans, will have all eyes on Reese throughout his rookie season. They'll hope his play matches the reaction when he was drafted.
It didn't seem likely that pass rusher Arvell Reese would be available at No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft. But when he was, the New York Giants sprinted to write his name on their card. Soon after, head coach John Harbaugh had the opportunity to speak with Reese over the phone.