Highest-graded rookie of the Week: LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants

New York Giants linebacker earned a 90.5 PFF defensive grade against the Arizona Cardinals, the highest among rookies that week.

• Pass-rush impact creates turnovers: Reese recorded three pass-rush wins on 13 opportunities for a 23.1% win rate and contributed to two Giants interceptions.

• Coverage performance stands out: Reese earned an 87.4 PFF coverage grade and recorded four defensive stops in coverage, showing his impact beyond the pass rush.

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In just his fourth NFL game, rookie linebacker Arvell Reese showed Giants fans exactly why the team used the fifth overall selection on the Ohio State standout, delivering a huge performance that helped secure the victory.

Let’s dig into what made Reese the NFL's highest-graded rookie this past week.

Reese made life miserable for the Arizona Cardinals’ passing offense on Sunday. On one play, he beat center Hjalte Froholdt on a blitz before batting down a pass from Jacoby Brissett like an NBA player rejecting a layup.

Reese made another impact play later when he beat an offensive lineman on his way to the quarterback and got a hand on Brissett’s arm as he threw, resulting in an interception downfield.

Arvell Reese with the NBA style rejection of this Jacoby Brissett pass pic.twitter.com/dSNVvxKwzZ

— Gordon McGuinness (@GordonNFL) October 7, 2026

Then, of course, Reese also came down with an interception, which itself came on a pass batted at the line of scrimmage by defensive tackle Shelby Harris. That gave Reese three big plays in the passing game, all involving tipped or batted passes and all occurring in the second quarter. Two resulted in interceptions for the Giants.

In total, Reese rushed the passer 13 times against the Cardinals and recorded three pass-rush wins, giving him a 23.1% pass-rush win rate. That ranked second among Giants defenders in the win, trailing only second-year edge defender Abdul Carter.

20.040.060.080.0100.0Coverage Grade50.060.070.080.090.0Pass Rush GradeAVGAVGDavis-GaitherSpillaneReeseThomasSherwoodPerkins Jr.LandmanOluokunWilson Sr.CarterStylesSingletonWilsonHansenGreenlawTrotter Jr.WintersCampbellLloydTrotterCashmanSchwesingerEllissDeabloBrooksWernerEdwardsWilliamsBarhamBushDavisStrnadKnight Jr.WarnerJonesEdmundsDeanOkerekeMurray Jr.StutsmanWilsonRodriguezGibbensSmithAnzaloneBoltonHenleyLuvuPhillipsWalkerBartonCampbellQueenFranklinHill Jr.The same players and metrics are available as a sortable table on each team's Leaders tab.Source: Premium Stats ProAkeem Davis-GaitherLB · INDCoverage Grade81.16th / 55Pass Rush Grade91.61st / 55Robert SpillaneLB · NECoverage Grade92.91st / 55Pass Rush Grade51.652nd / 55Arvell ReeseLB · NYGCoverage Grade87.43rd / 55Pass Rush Grade80.34th / 55Drake ThomasLB · SEACoverage Grade91.92nd / 55Pass Rush Grade66.516th / 55Jamien SherwoodLB · NYJCoverage Grade83.64th / 55Pass Rush Grade64.921st / 55Harold Perkins Jr.LB · ATLCoverage Grade83.25th / 55Pass Rush Grade72.26th / 55Nate LandmanLB · LACoverage Grade71.511th / 55Pass Rush Grade52.649th / 55Foyesade OluokunLB · JAXCoverage Grade68.415th / 55Pass Rush Grade70.67th / 55Mack Wilson Sr.LB · ARZCoverage Grade64.520th / 55Pass Rush Grade64.223rd / 55Barrett CarterLB · CINCoverage Grade77.27th / 55Pass Rush Grade52.649th / 55Sonny StylesLB · WASCoverage Grade75.99th / 55Pass Rush Grade55.841st / 55Alex SingletonLB · DENCoverage Grade65.618th / 55Pass Rush Grade54.843rd / 55Eric WilsonLB · MINCoverage Grade51.541st / 55Pass Rush Grade60.928th / 55Jake HansenLB · HSTCoverage Grade71.511th / 55Pass Rush Grade60.429th / 55Dre GreenlawLB · SFCoverage Grade62.425th / 55Pass Rush Grade65.819th / 55Jeremiah Trotter Jr.LB · PHICoverage Grade69.414th / 55Pass Rush Grade69.910th / 55Dee WintersLB · DALCoverage Grade55.232nd / 55Pass Rush Grade68.912th / 55Jack CampbellLB · DETCoverage Grade52.338th / 55Pass Rush Grade56.939th / 55Devin LloydLB · CARCoverage Grade66.017th / 55Pass Rush Grade56.840th / 55Josiah TrotterLB · TBCoverage Grade53.934th / 55Pass Rush Grade52.747th / 55Blake CashmanLB · MINCoverage Grade74.210th / 55Pass Rush Grade66.417th / 55Carson SchwesingerLB · CLVCoverage Grade60.327th / 55Pass Rush Grade53.146th / 55Christian EllissLB · NECoverage Grade62.624th / 55Pass Rush Grade58.737th / 55Divine DeabloLB · ATLCoverage Grade57.330th / 55Pass Rush Grade62.027th / 55Jordyn BrooksLB · MIACoverage Grade50.343rd / 55Pass Rush Grade64.822nd / 55Pete WernerLB · NOCoverage Grade54.033rd / 55Pass Rush Grade60.031st / 55T.J. EdwardsLB · CHICoverage Grade76.28th / 55Pass Rush Grade68.215th / 55Quincy WilliamsLB · CLVCoverage Grade59.728th / 55Pass Rush Grade63.525th / 55Jaishawn BarhamLB · DALCoverage Grade51.840th / 55Pass Rush Grade68.813th / 55Devin BushLB · CHICoverage Grade66.916th / 55Pass Rush Grade68.314th / 55Demario DavisLB · NYJCoverage Grade63.522nd / 55Pass Rush Grade62.826th / 55Justin StrnadLB · DENCoverage Grade59.029th / 55Pass Rush Grade55.742nd / 55Demetrius Knight Jr.LB · CINCoverage Grade29.654th / 55Pass Rush Grade54.444th / 55Fred WarnerLB · SFCoverage Grade52.537th / 55Pass Rush Grade52.251st / 55Ernest JonesLB · SEACoverage Grade63.123rd / 55Pass Rush Grade70.38th / 55Tremaine EdmundsLB · NYGCoverage Grade50.542nd / 55Pass Rush Grade60.230th / 55Nakobe DeanLB · LVCoverage Grade63.821st / 55Pass Rush Grade65.420th / 55Bobby OkerekeLB · CARCoverage Grade62.126th / 55Pass Rush Grade69.011th / 55Kenneth Murray Jr.LB · HSTCoverage Grade64.619th / 55Pass Rush Grade73.25th / 55Danny StutsmanLB · NOCoverage Grade71.113th / 55Pass Rush Grade52.747th / 55Payton WilsonLB · PITCoverage Grade53.036th / 55Pass Rush Grade81.72nd / 55Jacob RodriguezLB · MIACoverage Grade53.335th / 55Pass Rush Grade48.355th / 55Jack GibbensLB · ARZCoverage Grade51.939th / 55Pass Rush Grade59.634th / 55Roquan SmithLB · BLTCoverage Grade43.244th / 55Pass Rush Grade60.031st / 55Alex AnzaloneLB · TBCoverage Grade43.244th / 55Pass Rush Grade59.136th / 55Nick BoltonLB · KCCoverage Grade39.249th / 55Pass Rush Grade50.353rd / 55Daiyan HenleyLB · LACCoverage Grade33.053rd / 55Pass Rush Grade64.124th / 55Frankie LuvuLB · WASCoverage Grade56.931st / 55Pass Rush Grade59.933rd / 55Del'Shawn PhillipsLB · LACCoverage Grade33.452nd / 55Pass Rush Grade66.018th / 55Quay WalkerLB · LVCoverage Grade41.946th / 55Pass Rush Grade59.335th / 55Cody BartonLB · TENCoverage Grade41.747th / 55Pass Rush Grade57.538th / 55Jihaad CampbellLB · PHICoverage Grade37.451st / 55Pass Rush Grade81.13rd / 55Patrick QueenLB · PITCoverage Grade38.550th / 55Pass Rush Grade53.545th / 55Zaire FranklinLB · GBCoverage Grade40.348th / 55Pass Rush Grade48.554th / 55Anthony Hill Jr.LB · TENCoverage Grade27.955th / 55Pass Rush Grade70.38th / 55

When he wasn’t causing havoc at the line of scrimmage, Reese still made an impact in the passing game. Four of his five tackles resulting in a defensive stop came in coverage, where he looked anything but a rookie, decisively chasing down receivers after the catch.

Against the run, Reese looked confident taking on blocks. Along with his tackle resulting in a defensive stop, he recorded multiple wins in the run game where he didn’t make the tackle but still impacted the play.

Arvell Reese: PFF grades by week Snap CountsGrades WK OPP TOT RDEF PRSH DEF RDEF PRSH COV 1DAL5817554.366.067.447.12LA5928650.543.951.264.53TEN6021784.680.250.380.94ARZ66251390.571.380.387.4TOTNYG243913177.167.466.476.7Source: Premium Stats Pro

Rookie linebackers often face a steep learning curve when they arrive in the NFL, but Reese has hit the ground running and is already making an impact on the Giants’ defense. While Miami’s Jacob Rodriguez is the current favorite for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, don’t be surprised if Reese overtakes him as the season progresses.