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Ryan Shazier dubs the Giants a good fit for rookie Arvell Reese.

This offseason, the New York Giants bolstered their defense in a big way by drafting Arvell Reese fifth overall. As the high-level prospect gears up for the start of his pro career, one former player raved about things working out nicely for him.

Years removed from his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, linebacker Ryan Shazier sat down with Kyle Odegard of ‘Casino Guru’ to discuss a variety of topics. Among the things they discussed were incoming prospects Reese and Sonny Styles.

While raving about Reese, Shazier noted that he landed with a great fit in the Giants and head coach John Harbaugh.

“John Harbaugh is a great defensive coach,” Shazier said to Odegard. “He’s had some linebackers. He had Ray Lewis, Patrick Queen. He’s had a lot of inside linebackers, but he also had Terrell Suggs, (Matthew) Judon, a lot of great players (on the edge). He’s going to know exactly where to put Arvell. He has four great rushers and I think he’s going to move them around a lot. Harbaugh knows what he’s doing, so I think (Reese) landed in a great situation with a great coach. Normally when you go to a great coach, they get the best out of the player.”

With Dexter Lawrence being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, Reese will look to step in and become the new face of the Giants’ defense moving forward.

Giants Rookie Arvell Reese Viewed as More Promising Talent Than Sonny Styles

Heading into the 2026 draft, Reese and Styles were viewed as two of the top prospects on the defensive side of the field. Though it’s unclear how things will pan out for each player in the pros, one analyst feels the Giants walked away with the stronger talent.

During a recent appearance on the ‘Giants Huddle’ podcast, Chris Simmons weighed in on one of the Giants’ first-round picks this year. When it comes to the Reese vs Style debate, he is siding with the former.

“And I’m here to tell you that Arvell Reese is a better linebacker than Sonny Styles every day of the week and twice on Sunday,” said Simms. “He’s young. I mean, he plays physical. He’s got incredible instincts. He’s an amazing open-field tackler. He’s a specimen.”

These two prospects will see a lot of each other in the NFL, as Styles also finds himself in the NFC East after being drafted by the Washington Commanders.

Arvell Reese Sends Message Ahead of His First Season With the Giants

Not far removed from being drafted, most rookies are likely still adjusting to their new lives as a pro athlete. This doesn’t appear to be the case for Reese, as he is already dialed in on his first year as a member of the Giants.

Over the weekend, the NFL Player’s Association put out a short clip of Reese donning his Giants threads. He got to do some voiceovers for the video, using it as an opportunity to let the world know this is just the beginning for him.

Reese will continue the ramp-up to his rookie season in the coming days when the Giants kick off OTAs.