John Harbaugh Raves About Giants Top Pick Arvell Reese’s Versatility

New York Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese isn’t interested in the microphones, cameras, or the flash bulbs that accompany life in the New York sports market.

He’s instead looking forward to keeping his head down, integrating with his new veteran teammates, and earning their respect by showing that he can be a value-added piece of the overall puzzle.

The fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft is certainly off to a good start in that regard. Head coach John Harbaugh couldn’t say enough good things about the former Ohio State standout’s first NFL-style weekend.

“I thought he moved well. You know, he is 6-foot-4 and 240-some pounds, yet he moves like a smaller guy. He moves his feet. He can flip his hips.

“Very natural looking mover off the ball, which was something we saw on tape. We thought we saw, but now we saw it on the practice field, so we feel better about it, you know.”

Harbaugh was also giddy about Reese’s football acumen.

“Picks things up really quickly. Very serious-minded. Very diligent about the assignments. I don't think he's got one assignment wrong throughout the two days, which is great to see,” he said.

May 9, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese (52) participates in a drill during rookie minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

When told of Harbaugh’s comments, Reese remained stoic.

“Just studying, and credit to Coach (Frank) Bush, he spent a lot of time with me and (fellow rookie linebacker) Jack (Kelly) pouring the playbook into us, and Coach (Matt) Pees as well. Just studying and the coaches for sure,” he said.

Reese comes to the Giants having already been assigned a specific role in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s defense: the WILL (weakside) linebacker.

But lest anyone think he’ll be limited in that regard, Harbaugh and Wilson have a big package of roles within that main role lined up for the Cleveland native.

“The way we're built is the WIL position lines up in all those spots, so you are going to see him lined up with what looks like the defensive end position, but it's actually the WIL by call. That's where he goes based on the way the defense was organized,” Harbaugh said.

“I don't know if we're cheating or not, but you'll see him playing over the guard sometimes just by virtue of the call.”

That’s just fine with Reese, who said Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia put him in a similar setup that served as a foundation for when he got to the pros.

“It's always fun to me, especially when I think about all those different roles I could play,” Reese said.

“Right now, we're only two days in. I've only been introduced a little bit to the defense. I'm looking forward to that, though.”

Reese, a man of few words, said he plans to let his play do his talking.

“Especially as a rookie, that's what you've got to do,” he said. “You've got to know what you're doing on the field before you say what you're about. Just get on the field, minimize mistakes, and just show I'm one of those guys that can get better every day.”

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