The New York Giants hosted the Minnesota Vikings in their first preseason game of 2026 on Saturday.
The Giants didn't come away with a win, losing 13-10, but head coach John Harbaugh got a good look at some of the players he's been evaluating over the summer in a real-game situation. There were solid plays and areas of opportunity, but it's just the first preseason game, so no one expected perfection.
One of the brighter spots during the game was seeing how rookie linebacker Arvell Reese performed in his first NFL game setting. Reese was on the field for 12 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps in the preseason game, and watching his highlights should have Giants fans paying attention.
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger broke down Reese's play.
.@Giants @Vikings @arvxll "step up and blow it up!!" All 👀👀 on #52. You will miss good stuff if you do #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/jTqvlbF7N8
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 16, 2026
"Let's just put the periscope on Arvell Reese here," Baldinger says. "He played 12 snaps in his debut against the Vikings, and what are the Giants going to do? They're going to shift to the strong side, two tight ends over here. So they're gonna overload to match it up. So where do you think the Vikings are going to come? They're going to come to the weak side, behind (Christian) Darrisaw at left tackle, right. What's Arvell Reese gonna do? You know what you do? You just step up and blow it up. Just step up and blow it up. It's beautiful.
"And then he comes this," Baldinger continues on a new play. "You got a fullback, Max Bredeson. He went to Michigan. Arvell Reese from Ohio State, looking. He's creeping, he's creeping. He can't help it. He wants to go introduce himself to Max Bredeson. Buckeyes and Wolverines, bam. Just take it, just blow it all up, man; just go hit something -- that's what Arvell wants to do. Oh, he is the center of this defense."
Those two plays alone highlight several things about Reese. How he sniffs out where the ball is going, how he powers through opponents, and how he can blow up just about any play. If you go back and watch his film from Ohio State, you'll see that nothing has changed. His opponents might be bigger on average, but he clearly does not care.
Reese is going to hold down the middle of the defense this season with Tremaine Edmunds. Brian Burns and Abdul Carter will lead the pass rush on the edge. If the defensive line and secondary can lock down their roles, this Giants' defense is going to be tough in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Baldy Breakdown: Arvell Reese 'the center' of New York Giants' defense
