Arvell Reese's Arrival Could Spell the End for This Giants Veteran Linebacker

From his elite 97.5 coverage rating to his "position-less" role, here is why Arvell Reese's arrival likely spells the end for veteran Micah McFadden.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) leaves the field following the NCAA football game against the Ohio Bobcats at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 13, 2025. Ohio State won 37-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants have officially opened up the 2026 NFL Draft and the assembling of their newest class of rookies by selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at the No. 5 pick in the first round.

Reese, who became the second edge rusher to come off the board after Texas Tech's David Bailey was taken No. 2 by the New York Jets, was chosen by the Giants despite them having their free choice of three Buckeyes prospects on the defensive side of the football.

Two of Reese's teammates--fellow linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs--were both available after the first four selections that saw one quarterback and two skilled players find new homes early.

But general manager Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh elected to add another young face to their core of pass rushers, who wreaked havoc for 39 total sacks in 2025.

Given it wasn't the most obvious pick that most analysts and Giants fans expected, Reese's arrival might suggest a changing of the guard with one of their in-house veterans whose job and future within the organization could soon be done.

Reese’s arrival could mean a reduced role for Micah McFadden

New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden | John Jones-Imagn Images

The Giants have spent this offseason looking to improve the middle of their defense, and, by extension, the inside linebacker position.

They swapped out Bobby Okereke for Tremaine Edmunds, a free-agent addition who becomes the new “quarterback” of the defense.

With the addition of Reese to the defense, Micah McFadden, who had been a starting WILL linebacker for the Giants until he suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 of last year, appears to be on the verge of losing his job to Reese.

“We're going to play him at inside backer and at WILL linebacker,” head coach John Harbaugh said.

“We'll have an opportunity to move those guys around. But he'll line up next to Tremaine (Edmunds), and he'll be in the A gap, the B gap, the C gap, the D gap, off the edge. He'll be moving around with all of our guys.”

The Giants’ plan for Reese may take some time to get fully implemented, as the rookie’s career snap count during his two years at Ohio State showed him as mostly a box defender (566 snaps), followed by a good number of snaps on the outside (333).

But the Giants’ brass is very high on what Reese, who has a career coverage rating of 97.5, can bring to the pass rush as well as in coverage, the latter an area where McFadden, who signed a one-year deal this past off-season to return to the team,  offered pedestrian production given his career 109.7 coverage rating on passes thrown against him.

Reese couldn’t contain his  excitement over his potential use in the Giants' defense. “I'm going to be used in a unique way. I'm a weapon. That's how it's supposed to be,” he said.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.