Pro Football Focus released its 2026 NFL linebacker unit rankings this week, and the New York Giants came in at No. 27 out of 32 teams. The placement stands out given the significant upgrades the franchise made at the position during the offseason.
The Giants added veteran Tremaine Edmunds in free agency and selected Ohio State’s Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Those two form what ranks among the largest and most talented inside linebacker pairings the team has fielded in many years.
Depth remains solid as well, with returning starter Micah McFadden and rookie Jack Kelly, who has drawn early praise as a potential draft steal.
PFF’s own analysis of the unit acknowledges the talent while explaining the ranking:
Tremaine
Edmunds joined the Giants in free agency, coming off somewhat of a rebound year that saw him record an 80.6 PFF run-defense grade and a 52.9 PFF coverage grade. New York also drafted Arvell Reese with the fifth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has looked really good in limited work, playing to an 88.2 PFF grade on just 22 snaps. Yet as noted earlier, we know that linebacker is traditionally a position that sees players take some time to get acclimated in the regular season, so this could be a group that sees a leap in the second half of the year.
Reese’s limited preseason snaps already produced one of the highest grades among first-round rookies, underscoring the upside. Edmunds brings proven size, length, and run-stopping ability after posting strong marks against the run a year ago. Together they give defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson a physical, athletic core capable of improving rapidly once the regular season begins.
While PFF slots the group near the bottom for now, the combination of experience, draft pedigree, and emerging depth suggests New York’s linebackers could climb the rankings quickly once the games start counting.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: PFF astonishingly ranks New York Giants' linebackers among NFL's worst
