John Harbaugh brushes off Malik Nabers critiques of Giants draft picks

Yahoo Sports3h ago10 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Giants coach John Harbaugh dismissed Malik Nabers' critiques of the team's first-round draft pick, Arvell Reese. Harbaugh stated they had a productive conversation about Reese's role in the defense.

Key points

Malik Nabers critiqued the Giants' first-round pick.
John Harbaugh had a positive conversation with Nabers afterward.
Arvell Reese was selected No. 5 overall from Ohio State.
Harbaugh emphasized the importance of good intentions in feedback.

New York GiantsMalik NabersArvell ReeseAbdul Carter

No black and Big Blues here, according to New York Giants coach John Harbaugh.

During the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers offered some critiques of New York's first pick, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, who was taken with the No. 5 overall selection.

On a draft watch-along video, Nabers questioned where Reese was going to play along the Giants' defensive front, who last year drafted Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 5 pick, as well as rostering star pass rusher Brian Burns and 2022 first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Harbaugh brushed off Nabers' criticisms, saying the two had a "great conversation" the following morning, and the coach detailed how he plans to use Reese.

"We don't get too worried about stuff," Harbaugh said. "As long as the person's heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares, the player, coach, or anybody, you really want what's best for anybody, you've got a good heart, in a good place, then say what you think, put it out there. ...

"And so: Malik wants to know how we're gonna use our first-round pick? I want to show him. I want to explain it to him. And the fact that he says it publicly? Who cares?"

The Ohio State product was considered to be one of the top options in the draft, though his ceiling as a top-tier pass rusher is murky. Not exclusively used as an edge rusher in college, Reese projects to play off-ball linebacker with the Giants, according to Harbaugh.

The Giants had two first-round selections this year, and even more fortunate is that both picks fell inside the top 10. Reese was selected at No. 5, while Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa was taken with the No. 10 selection.

Harbaugh added that Nabers was the first in the building to greet Reese upon his arrival in East Rutherford. For now, Nabers will have to wait and see how the rookie will acclimate and dominate at the next level.

"I know we've got a great vision for him," Harbaugh said. ... "Maybe that's hard for people to see, but you'll see soon enough."