Ex-NFL Scout: Giants' First-Round Picks Are Built for Versatility

John Middlekauff believes Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa's ability to play multiple spots up front will make them immediate difference-makers for New York.

Apr 24, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants draft picks Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa pose for a photo during the introductory press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

The New York Giants completed the overall makeover of their inside linebacker corps with their selection of Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, the fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft.

Five picks later, the Giants, thanks to obtaining the tenth overall pick in the draft from the Bengals in exchange for defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, added Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, the first step in beefing up the interior of their offensive line.  

These two moves had former NFL scout John Middlekauff impressed. Middlekauff, in an interview with Hard Rock Bet, likes the versatility each of the two Giants' first-round picks offers and believes they will be asked to do a lot at their respective positions as rookies.  

Starting with Reese, Middlekauff noted that Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia created a versatile role for him, allowing him to play all over the defensive front.

Patricia had Reese split his time between playing off-ball linebacker and lining up on the line of scrimmage in his lone year as a starter. In 2025, the former Buckeye played 327 snaps on the defensive line and 286 snaps off the ball. He often played early downs as a true linebacker and shifted up front on obvious passing downs.

"I would bet on that working and just being kind of like this hybrid. I mean, he’s got a chance to be really, really good," Middlekauff said.

Even though the Giants have already stated that they intend to use Reese as an off-ball linebacker in his first NFL season, Middlekauff thinks that his role will be more fluid.

The young defender's raw athleticism certainly makes him dangerous as a pass rusher and will be an effective tool for defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, especially as Reese comes into his own at the NFL level.

“I think Arvell Reese, if you wanted to say best value in the draft, he’s got a chance to be,” Middlekauff said. “I mean, his ceiling’s as high as the sun, right? But he’s 20 years old.

“The one thing you feel good about with him is that John Harbaugh spent 18-plus years with the Baltimore Ravens. When you say the Baltimore Ravens, the first thing you think about is defense. And really, the first thing you think about is the front seven, right?”

Mauigoa Could Eventually Return to Right Tackle 

Apr 24, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants draft pick Francis Mauigoa addresses the media during the introductory press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mauigoa, who played right tackle for the Miami Hurricanes, is going to start his NFL career at right guard, where he worked all spring. But Middlekauff sees a world in which one day Mauigoa will return to his roots at right tackle.

The Giants just re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor, their starting right tackle of the last two seasons, to a new three-year deal, so if a move for Mauigoa back to right tackle is in the cards, it will be a while before it happens, barring injury, of course.

Eluemunor was more than capable as the team's starting right tackle in 2025, allowing just four sacks on 638 pass-blocking reps.  

Mauigoa’s position flexibility gives the Giants options in the event of an injury. But more importantly, it gives the offensive line a bigger, more physical presence, which, after years of mostly fielding technicians, will be a welcome change for a team looking to win the battle in the trenches.

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