Linebackers are the unquestioned kings of most IDP leagues. But the position has become relatively devalued in the NFL. Prior to last weekend's festivities in Pittsburgh, the last time an off-ball linebacker went in the top-10 of the NFL Draft was back in 2020. This year, we saw two go inside the top-10—including one inside the top-five.

Maybe.

For most of the pre-draft process, the belief was that Ohio State's Arvell Reese was headed down the same career path as Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers and Abdul Carter of the New York Giants—players who started as off-ball linebackers in college football but converted to edge rushers at the professional level.

However, when the Giants took Reese fifth overall on Thursday, that belief was thrown for a loop—the team already has Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the roster, and while speaking with reporters after Round 1, New York head coach John Harbaugh said that the G-men plan to start Reese inside opposite free agent addition Tremaine Edmunds.

"Arvell is a versatile player, and we're going to play him at inside backer, Will linebacker," he said. "Our defense is pretty flexible, position-less, you might call it. We'll have an opportunity to move those guys around. But he'll line up next to Tremaine, and he'll be in the A gap, the B gap, the C gap, the D gap, off the edge. He'll be moving around with all of our guys."

Reese now becomes the most polarizing IDP rookie of 2026. With positional eligibility as a DE (or dual eligibility) in a three-down role where Reese moves around the formation, he could be massively valuable to fantasy managers. With LB eligibility playing in a "tweener" role where his off-ball snaps are capped and he struggles off the edge, the 6'4", 243-pounder could be only marginally rosterable. Reese's IDP ceiling is jackpot. His floor is disaster.

The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't just about Reese at the linebacker position, though. Here's a look at how things played out in the Steel City, what's being said about where this year's rookie linebackers landed, and what it means for fantasy managers.

Arvell Reese, New York Giants

Round 1, Pick No. 5

What They Are Saying

"The fascinating aspect of Reese's inclusion is that he's not currently an ideal fit. But he's too talented to bypass. Reese is an off-ball linebacker, edge rusher, or somewhere between those two points with a creative defensive game plan. A specific plan is necessary to fully maximize the versatile defender's capabilities." – Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report

What It Means

The reality is that we just don't know what exactly the Giants have planned for Reese—the Cowboys tried this with Micah Parsons as a rookie before moving to the edge full-time. As things stand right now, the best-case is the more off-ball snaps, the better. Think a Kaden Elliss or Frankie Luvu type who can add 6-8 sacks to 100-plus tackles and have value as both an edge rusher and a linebacker while serving as an elite option at the former spot if he gets eligibility there.

Sonny Styles. Washington Commanders

Round 1, Pick No. 7

What They Are Saying

"Sonny [Styles] just makes the most sense with this pick with Dan Quinn. They've had Bobby Wagner over the last couple of years, but they needed somebody fast. With the division they're in, with Saquon [Barkley]. I think he can develop into a serious linebacker. How is Dan Quinn going to use him? Is he going to be more of a cover guy? Is he going to be more downhill?" – Micah Parsons

What It Means

Long story short, this was an ideal IDP landing spot for Styles. The Commanders have Frankie Luvu and Leo Chenal on the roster, but neither of those veterans has the coverage chops of Styles (a converted safety) or his experience making defensive play-calls. Styles is an athletic freak who will be a three-down starter and "green dot" linebacker from Day 1. He has a legitimate shot at top-10 IDP production as a rookie.

Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech