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Head coach John Harbaugh of the New York Giants speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

When the New York Giants selected Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it was surprising for several reasons

For starters, not many people thought the Ohio State star would be available with the No. 5 pick before the draft began.

But the draft pick also raised some eyebrows, thanks to the logjam of outside linebackers that New York now has on their roster.

Even Giants’ star wide receiver Malik Nabers, appearing on Bleacher Report’s live draft stream, was skeptical of the draft pick at the time.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the player, but…where do you play?” Nabers asked co-hosts Micah Parsons and Adam Lefkoe.

“You want to be on the outside of the rush, but we just drafted somebody last year to do the same position.”

Luckily for Nabers and the Giants, they have a coach with a plan for Reese and his special skill set, and it seems the wideout’s comments won’t be an issue going forward.

John Harbaugh Eased Malik Nabers’ Arvell Reese Concerns

In his post-draft press conference, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh addressed Nabers’ comments regarding Reese, and his response was exactly what you’d expect from the veteran coach.

“We had a great conversation with that. Leek (Nabers) came in the next morning, sat up there and we were talking about it. He made himself clear. It’s like you even said, if you go back and you watch it, I appreciate kind of where he’s coming from,” Harbaugh told reporters.

“I mean, you’re in a podcast, you’re talking ball, and he’s just like, well, how do they got to use the guy? How’s he going to play? It’s like he said, ‘I was curious about how you’re going to use him.’And I showed him how we’re going to use him, and he’s fired up about it, but I appreciate it.”

Nabers’ concerns were likely shared by Giants fans on draft night. After all, they already have three former first-round pick pass rushers on the roster.

Brian Burns is a reigning All-Pro, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter will both be vying for playing time next season, and Reese may not have a chance to get the pass-rush reps he needs.

Reese will spend most of his time throughout the early parts of his career playing inside linebacker, as the Giants help him utilize his elite size and athleticism as a part-time pass rusher.

John Harbaugh Has No Issue With Malik Nabers’ Comments

Not only did Harbaugh do his best to soothe things over with the New York Giants’ star wide receiver, but seemed to welcome the concern and discussion with Nabers.

“One thing that you’ll kind of probably see as we go here, we don’t get too worried about stuff. As long as the person’s heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares…and you really want what’s best for everybody, and he’s got a good heart, and it’s coming from a good place, say what you think. Put it out there,” Harbaugh reiterated.

“We talk all the time about confronting everything that has to do with our football team. And so Malik wants to know how we’re going to use our first-round pick. I want to show him. I want to explain it to him. The fact that he says it publicly, who cares? I know fans are probably thinking the same thing.”

It’s cool to see Harbaugh openly accept the dialogue around his team’s decisions, addressing internal conflicts with the tact and savvy of a veteran head coach.

His leadership skills are something the Giants organization has severely lacked in their previous stewards, and are hoping to lean on as they enter a new era.