The New York Giants have done it again. After landing the top linebacker in the NFL draft last year with Abdul Carter, they repeated the feat this season by snagging Ohio State's Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall. And it turns out, Carter was already a fan.

The connection between these two defensive stars didn't start in the Giants' locker room. It began on a crisp November afternoon in 2024, when Ohio State dominated Penn State 38-14. While Reese wasn't a factor in that first meeting, the rematch last year was a completely different story.

Carter, watching from his couch, saw Reese deliver a performance that left a lasting impression: 12 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. "He popped off the screen," Carter told the New York Post at a recent event in the Bronx. From that moment, Carter started hoping the Giants would make Reese a Giant.

When the draft pick became official, Carter took to social media to show his approval. The feeling is mutual. "It's very exciting," Reese said after being drafted. "You can get two guys from the Big Ten. Both dogs on the same defense. That's always a good situation."

Now, imagine this defensive lineup: Carter on the outside alongside Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, while Reese anchors the interior next to free-agent addition Tremaine Edmunds. "Just knowing what he can do, just watching him and the violence he plays with, and how fast he plays, it's going to be fun," Carter added. "We're on the same side now. How physical he plays, that's going to be real helpful for us."

The Giants have built a defense that's not just talented—it's hungry. And with two former Big Ten standouts ready to unleash their brand of physical football, opposing offenses better take notice.