The choice isn’t surprising. Ohio State’s defense had been elite all season, leading the nation in yards and points allowed. And on Thursday night, with the fifth overall pick, the New York Giants pounced on their defensive engine turning expectation into a loud statement.

The Giants picked Ohio State LB Arvell Reese at No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft. And it came with a little Harbaugh twist too, as John Harbaugh, brother of former Michigan head coach Jim, found himself tied to one of the earliest Buckeye headlines of the night. And just like that, Ohio State set the tone again.

It didn’t take long for the first defensive Buckeye to hear his name called. What raised eyebrows though is that he wasn’t even the first non-QB off the board. But once the Giants were on the clock, the suspense didn’t last. They wanted versatility, speed, and someone who could wreck a game and Arvell Reese checks all three.

During ESPN’s broadcast, Arvell Reese said that the Giants made their intentions clear about using him “in a bunch of unique ways.” That means he’s not just going to be an LB. But it’s important to note that he didn’t enter the 2025 season as a lock for this spot. But from a rising prospect to top-5 cornerstone, his surge changed everything. 

Arvell Reese’s dominance showed as early as Week 1 against Texas in a 14-7 win where he recorded nine tackles and a sack. From there, he only went up and by season’s end, he already had 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks along with consensus All-American honors and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. Now, he became the first Ohio State defensive player drafted in the top five since 2020. 

Arvell Reese is also the first Buckeye LB to go in the first round since Darron Lee in 2016. He now ties A.J. Hawk as the second-highest drafted LB in Ohio State history. Only Tom Cousineau, the No. 1 overall pick in 1979, sits above him. 

Ohio State now has the most first-round picks in college football at 97. Ryan Day developed 18 of those players. With Arvell Reese at top-5 and Carnell Tate going No. 4, the Buckeyes once again had more than one top-five pick in the same draft. It happened in 1997, 2016, 2020, and now 2026. NFL teams keep betting big on Columbus and there’s a reason for that.

Why Arvell Reese fits with the Giants

Ryan Day didn’t mince words after the pick.

“The Giants are getting a young dominant player who has a huge ceiling,” he said of his former player. “Arvell has elite traits and is someone who has worked tirelessly to put himself in this position. As a Cleveland and Ginn Academy product, we are all excited to watch him transition to the NFL and become a franchise player.”

Arvell Reese terrorized backfields all season and capped a three-year career with 112 total tackles. But maybe the most telling part of his story is the climb. He went from special teams snaps as a freshman to 500+ total snaps as a sophomore, to becoming the face of a defense as a junior. And now, the Giants get to cash that in.

There’s also a connection here worth noting. New York has now drafted 22 Buckeyes in its history, with Arvell Reese becoming just the fourth first-rounder among them. The last was Eli Apple in 2016. And if his 2025 season told us anything, it’s that he’s walking in, expected to contribute immediately as the top-five pick.