Alexander Wilson
The New York Giants did not draft Arvell Reese to be a luxury piece floating around the front seven.
They drafted him because linebackers with that size and speed can shrink the field, and I think the real story is bigger than another explosive rookie for Dennard Wilson to move around. Reese gives the Giants the type of second-level athlete they have been missing for years.
Giants.com’s May 28 OTA notes had Reese all over the place, from running step for step with Devin Singletary on a wheel route to sniffing out a screen to Tyrone Tracy Jr. before the play could breathe. For a rookie linebacker in spring practices, that is the kind of detail that matters.
Reese gives the Giants a different coverage body
Reese is not being discussed correctly if the conversation starts and ends with pass-rush juice or Kayvon Thibodeaux insurance, because he is a linebacker and the Giants badly needed one who could actually erase grass.
At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, Reese ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, and movement like that is absurd for his frame. It changes what Wilson can call, with wheel routes becoming less automatic, screens having less space to develop, and crossers no longer feeling quite as free.
The Giants have had linebackers who could thump and players who could survive downhill, but they have lacked a middle-of-the-field athlete who makes quarterbacks hesitate before throwing into space.
The Singletary rep stands out for a reason. Spring football does not prove everything, but a rookie carrying a veteran back downfield in coverage tells you the tools are translating.
The Edmunds pairing could matter fast
The other piece is Tremaine Edmunds, and the Giants may finally have their most athletic linebacker pairing in a long time. That defensive angle should make people pay attention.
Edmunds brings length, experience, and a massive frame, while Reese brings burst and range. Together, they can let Wilson play faster underneath without living in constant panic against screens, backs, and tight ends.
That matters because the Giants already have pressure pieces up front, with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and the rest of the front capable of creating heat. Pressure gets cleaner when the second level is not leaking easy throws behind it.
Reese still has to prove it in pads, like everyone else, but these are the exact spring signs you want from a rookie linebacker: speed showing up in coverage, processing showing up on screens, and athleticism making the field look smaller.
If that carries into camp, Reese is going to be much more than another exciting defensive toy. He may be the kind of linebacker the Giants have been missing for years.
More about:New York Giants
