NY Giants Select LB Arvell Reese Over Sonny Styles in New Mock Draft

The New York Giants are widely expected to go defensive in the first round of this month’s draft, and one of the most popular prospects linked to Big Blue is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.

But there is a very real possibility that Styles won’t be on the board by the time the Giants go on the clock, which would mean they’d have to pivot to another option.

Or perhaps to everyone’s surprise, maybe Styles won’t have as high a grade as another linebacker prospect, one that just so happens to be his soon-to-be former teammate.

That’s the scenario CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson laid out in his recent mock draft. Wilson had the Giants selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5, while Styles went three picks later to the New Orleans Saints.

Why Reese over Styles for the Giants?

"It's pretty simple: he's a rare athlete who was one of the best defenders in the country in 2025,” Wilson wrote.

“That his pro-day bag-drill workout didn't meet expectations shouldn't really carry much weight. He's a freak who is the ‘positionless player’ prototype."

Is Reese the right player for the Giants in this scenario?

Reese would be a pick with a similar profile to Abdul Carter. Last year, the Giants took Carter third overall. He was the best player available and an athletic freak who could play anywhere in the front seven on defense.

The same could be said of Reese, likely an off-ball linebacker in the NFL. His athleticism sets him apart and allows him to line up on the edge, where, as Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi once said, a team can never have too many pass rushers.

But at the end of the day, is Reese the better option over Styles? Depending on who you believe, Styles is the more complete, more polished linebacker of the two, who is slightly better in coverage than his fellow ‘backer, whereas Reese offers way more upside as a pass rusher.

Giants head coach John Harbaugh has often emphasized that stopping the run is critical. If a team can’t stop the run and force passing downs, does a collection of pass rushers matter?

That’s why we disagree with Wilson. If Styles offers more run defense, he should be chosen over Reese, even if it’s a close call.

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