Giants first-round picks Arvell Reese, Francis Mauigoa embrace next chapter in their football careers
Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa greeted each other with bear hugs Thursday night after being drafted by the Giants. The emotions were different from the last time they shared a football field.
Mauigoa’s Miami squad defeated Reese and Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal back in January. Mauigoa said Reese briefly brought it up but those old feelings were replaced by love as they called each other “brother” before their embrace.
“I know he explained something about holding a grudge against us,” Mauigoa said Friday. “But what’s in the past is in the past. Now we’re New York Giants.”
Both were introduced with their jerseys alongside coach John Harbaugh, general manager Joe Schoen and president/CEO John Mara. Mara’s appearance was brief as he’s limited his public appearances since the team announced in September he was diagnosed with cancer.
Reese and Mauigoa are Harbaugh’s first picks since he was hired as Giants coach but both players were well versed on his Ravens teams. Reese, picked fifth overall, said he tried to model his game on Harbaugh’s Ravens teams being fast and violent.
That made it an honor, he said, that Harbaugh selected him to fill that role primarily at inside linebacker.
“I think that says a lot about me,” Reese said. “I won't say it proves my point because I haven't done anything at this level yet, but I think I've got some shoes to fill. I think I'm ready for the challenge.
Reese also said that two of his favorite current linebackers are 49ers standout Fred Warner and now-teammate Tremaine Edmunds. Harbaugh said Thursday that Reese will start working at inside linebacker so he will get to study Edmunds even closer after Reese watched him play for the Bears.
“One thing I like about his game, he's a rangy linebacker,” Reese said. “He can clear ground fast, sideline to sideline. He plays the game fast. He plays it how it's supposed to be played."
For Mauigoa, drafted 10th, being a pro reminded him of when he was a high school freshman in California. That’s when he started taking his NFL dreams more seriously and he and his brother Francisco started working harder to make it happen.
Not only did both reach the league, they’ll play at the same stadium with Francisco being a second-year linebacker for the Jets. They haven’t discussed moving in together but it’s part of their future conversations adjusting to being in the same market.
“I haven’t really asked him a lot of questions but he has been a great mentor in my life,” Mauigoa said. “Told me, just be myself. He actually told me that I’ll enjoy the league more than college just because school’s out of the story. It’s just straight ball from now on.”
He also got shouted out on Instagram in a comment by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Johnson, who is half-Samoan, was someone that Mauigoa idolized growing up in American Samoa whether it was watching Johnson wrestle in the WWE or act in various movies.
Mauigoa didn’t see the comment because he said he’s been avoiding social media. But when he heard about it, it made his draft day even sweeter being acknowledged by a role model who shares his heritage.
“Whatever he does, he represents the Samoan culture and that’s something that I like to do and take pride in it,” Mauigoa said. “For him to do that at the big stage that he is, with 'Fast and Furious’ [movies] . . . and for him to notice me, that means a lot.”
Mauigoa said it won’t be too difficult adjusting to guard because he began cross training for it during the pre-draft process working with former Giants guard Jon Feliciano.
Reese felt the same way going from edge rusher to inside linebacker. Ohio State used him multiple ways and he’s prepared to do the same for the Giants.
If his embrace with Mauigoa was a warm welcome, Reese also knows it’s just the first step of what he wants to be a productive career.
“I feel like the job is not completed,” Reese said. “I've got so much to do, so much to look forward to doing. So I'm just ready to get to work.”
Giants draft cornerback, trade up for receiver
With the 37th pick, the Giants drafted Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night. The Giants also drafted Notre Dame receiver Malachi Fields in the third round (74th overall) after a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Fields, at 6-4, 218 pounds, gives Jaxson Dart a big target alongside Malik Nabers
The Giants sent the Browns the 105th and 145th pick in this year’s draft and a fourth-round pick in 2027. That means barring any additional trades, the Giants' next pick is at No. 186 in the sixth round on Saturday.
Hood was a third-team All-SEC selection last season, his lone season with the Volunteers. He started his career at Auburn in 2023 before transferring to Colorado. He then transferred to Tennessee, where he became a full-time starter for the first time.
Hood had 50 tackles, nine pass deflections and one interception last season. He fits one of the Giants’ biggest needs at cornerback. It's a position the Giants addressed in free agency by signing Greg Newsome II from the Browns.
Giants: No trade talks for Thibodeaux
Before the start of the second round on Friday, a report emerged that the Giants engaged in trade conversations involving linebacker Kayvon Thibdoeaux and the Saints were among the interested teams. Schoen denied it when asked Friday.
“Nothing’s changed. I wish I could just put anything out on the Twittersphere and just let people run with it,” Schoen said. “But no, there’s no truth to that. We’ve not had any conversations today about Kayvon. That’s not true."
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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