Two New York Giants rookies landed on The Athletic’s Early NFL All-Rookie Team, and one of them is a real surprise. Dane Brugler, who produces The Beast, one of the best draft guides in the industry, released the list on Tuesday after evaluating how every rookie performed through the first four weeks of the regular season.

The Giants placed two players on the first-quarter All-Rookie Team and added three more among the honorable mentions. That’s a strong early return for a roster in the middle of a rebuild.

Arvell Reese lives up to the billing

The first selection was not a surprise. Linebacker Arvell Reese, the Giants’ first first-round pick and the fifth overall selection, made the team as one of Brugler’s two off-ball linebackers. The other is Jacob Rodriguez, a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins.

“The No. 1 prospect for me this past draft, Reese finished with nine tackles (all solo) and now leads the NFL (not just rookies) with 27 solo tackles. Reese also had a tackle for loss, three passes defended and his first career interception in Week 4. He is the NFL’s only non-defensive back with at least four passes defended and one interception this season.” — Dane Brugler

Undrafted kicker Dominic Zvada steals the spotlight

The second Giants player on the list is far less expected. Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada, who went undrafted, earned the first-team spot.

That’s curious because only one rookie kicker came off the board in the draft. Packers kicker Trey Smack, a sixth-round pick, landed on the second team. An undrafted player ahead of the only drafted rookie at the position confirms that signing undrafted kickers can be a better process than spending a draft pick on one.

“Zvada has been perfect as a pro — 5-for-5 on extra point attempts and 9-for-9 on field goals. He has been nails from deep, with three makes of 50-plus yards, including two in Sunday’s win.” — Dane Brugler.

Zvada has been sensational for New York so far. But more than that, the contract makes his start even more valuable. And that’s because, as an undrafted signing, he is under contract for three years on a cheap deal. That’s an impressive amount of surplus value for the Giants at a position where reliability is hard to find.

Rookie class fits the Harbaugh rebuild

The Giants are trying to rebuild, and they added a lot of talent this offseason. Reese and Zvada are the only two names on the first team, but the class goes deeper than that.

Brugler also listed three more Giants rookies as honorable mentions: Wide receiver Malachi Fields, interior offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, and cornerback Colton Hood.

That’s five rookies already making an impact through four weeks, spread across the defense, the offense, and special teams. For a franchise transitioning into the John Harbaugh era, adding young contributors at multiple position groups is exactly what the roster needed.

The results are already showing up on the field. New York is 3-1 and leading a competitive NFC East ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Commanders. It’s still early, but the rookie class is a big part of why the Giants are in that position, and it gives the organization a young core to build around for years.