Is New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese shaping up to be the player who will win the 2026 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Award?
ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado ranked Reese No. 2 overall on her list of the top DROY candidates for this season.
As the No. 5 pick, Reese immediately steps into a starting role that will give him the snap volume needed to contend. The concern is what position those snaps will come from. With Abdul Carter and Brian Burns on the edges, Reese might be limited in the linebacker role. He can still contribute as a blitzer, but the Giants might barely blitz -- Dennard Wilson's defense in Tennessee last season ranked 28th in blitz rate. Reese's versatility would need to translate into enough splash plays to win this award.
Reese
likely will not put up the numbers a star edge rusher normally produces, making it harder for him to jump off the page as the clear-cut favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2026. Nevertheless, he has the breathtaking physical capabilities and talent to make a real impact in New York’s second line of defense in 2026.
By stopping the run and controlling the short and intermediate areas of the field, Reese can still show that he deserves the nod.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Can Arvell Reese win DROY without traditional edge rush production?
