Arvell Reeses overlooked coverage skills could fill huge Giants need

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.— All the draft hype surrounding Arvell Reese centered around his potential as a pass-rusher.For months, the debate was whether the Jets should take Reese or David Bailey with the No.

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After the Jets went with Bailey — who is hounding quarterbacks early in their training camp — and the Giants took Reese at No.5, the talk switched to using him as a chess piece who could pass rush alongside Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux.It all overlooks the possibility that Reese could provide as a rookie something that the Giants have been chasing for a long time: a coverage linebacker.Reese broke up a pass from Jaxson Dart to Odell Beckham Jr., who was sitting in what looked like a soft spot in zone coverage, during Friday’s practice.

Reese’s 32.5-inch arms tipped the ball away from nowhere.“I think he looks really good,” head coach John Harbaugh said.“He got that wingspan out there and batted that ball down.

That was a great football play.”Alec Ogletree had a misleading five interceptions in 2018 — he allowed 51 catches on 62 targets — and Bobby Okereke’s coverage has slipped off over the past two seasons after his impressive 10 passes-defended in his 2023 Giants debut season.The edge rushers have a vested interest in Reese and his co-starter Tremaine Edmunds taking away short, easy completions over the middle.“I asked his linebacker coach [Frank Bush] how he was doing and he said he was doing outstanding,” Carter said.“Obviously, he’s got all the physical traits, but he said more importantly, the mental side, he’s been doing a really good job.”Jevon Holland is entering his sixth NFL season — second with the Giants — but there’s something a little different this time.

He and fellow safety Tyler Nubin — assuming he holds off Ar’Darius Washington — are not starting from...