Arvell
Reese.
Arvell
Reese.
Ohio State· 6'4"· 241 lb· 4.46s 40
"A 6'4", 245-pound Ohio State off-ball with sideline range, edge-rush cross-training and a 2025 breakout under Jim Knowles — top-of-class board consensus as the modern hybrid LB1 in a deep front-seven crop."Pre-draft read
This off-ball linebacker aligns as a MIKE but is also deployed as a stand-up rusher. He reads run keys with a downhill trigger, using his length to stack pulling guards and deliver form tackles in space. His play strength is evident in take-on reps against tight-end kick-out blocks. While occasional over-pursuit on outside zone runs can put him in trail position, his length, closing burst, and dual-role utility make him a critical asset on third downs.
When rushing the passer, he converts speed to power against the tackle's outside shoulder, dips under on stunts, and generates pressure from both two-point and three-point stances. In coverage, he matches tight ends on seam and out-breaking routes and carries backs through the wheel. He reads the quarterback's eyes in curl-to-flat drops.
A modern multi-faceted hybrid defense that blends elements of Cover-3 match, quarters, and occasional pressure packages, designed to create confusion for opposing offenses while maximizing the versatility of its personnel.
Year 1 impact starter as an off-ball linebacker, with a ceiling to develop into a Pro Bowl caliber hybrid defender capable of excelling in run defense, coverage, and as a situational pass rusher.
A traditional two-gap 3-4 defense that primarily asks linebackers to eat blocks and occupy space rather than leverage their athleticism to make plays in pursuit.
Reese's rare combination of size, speed, and versatility positions him as a high-upside centerpiece for a modern NFL defense, capable of impacting all three phases of play from the linebacker position.
Arvell Reese Ohio State Highlights | 2025 Top Plays
Junior-year reel that shows the downhill trigger, sideline range and stand-up pass-rush snaps that carried him to Butkus and Bednarik finalist status.
NFL Draft 2026 LB rankings: Arvell Reese, Ohio State | Chris Simms Unbuttoned
Chris Simms breaks down the hybrid archetype, coverage utility and pass-rush cross-training that made Reese the consensus LB1 of the 2026 class.
Ohio State's Arvell Reese is a DUDE
Coach's-copy angles on take-on reps, block deconstruction and the length-through-contact traits that separated him inside the Big Ten.
Arvell Reese projects as a modern hybrid linebacker, offering a rare combination of defensive-end length, coverage utility, and designed pass-rush capabilities. Teams buying him are investing in an every-down centerpiece who can lead the defense while also providing critical splash plays, confirmed by his sub-4.7 speed for the position.
After rotating in his initial Ohio State seasons, Reese took over the green-dot in 2025 as a junior, anchoring a Buckeyes defense that led the Big Ten in third-down conversion rate. Listed at 6'4", 245 pounds, he was a Butkus and Bednarik finalist, demonstrating an athletic profile that translates across roles. His usage involved cross-training as a designed pass rusher on third downs.
Evaluators consistently had him as LB1 by mid-season, and his value held firm even in a receiver-heavy draft class. Reese was drafted by the New York Giants with the fifth overall pick, a clear indication of how highly front offices value his archetype. The main trade-off involved his occasional over-pursuit and a need to refine block-shedding technique against NFL-caliber offensive linemen.
- 01
Length in space
Long arms and a defensive-end frame allow him to maintain leverage against tight ends and pulling guards on run fits, securing tackles in the open field.
- 02
Downhill trigger
Reads pulling guards and tight-end down blocks early, filling the alley with pace and reducing cutback lanes on outside zone runs quickly.
- 03
Coverage versatility
Capable of carrying tight ends on seams, matching backs on wheel routes, and dropping into hook-curl zones with excellent awareness.
- 04
Designed pass rush
Comfortable as a stand-up rusher, converting speed to power on the tackle's outside shoulder and finishing twist stunts with uncommon bend.
- 05
Green-dot leadership
Called and adjusted the Ohio State defense in 2025, communicating coverage checks and ensuring teammates maintained gap discipline against Playoff opponents.
- 01
Take-on discipline versus doubles
Occasionally displaced when linemen and tight ends execute combo blocks on inside zone, potentially sealing him from the play.
- 02
Over-pursuit
Aggressive downhill triggers on outside zone can sometimes carry him past the ball, requiring backside safeties to clean up cutbacks.
- 03
Man coverage on smaller backs
While adept against tight ends, his hip flip against smaller, quicker backs on angle and option routes can trail, necessitating safety help.
- 04
Block-shedding technique
Relies more on length and burst than pure hand technique; will need to develop rip-and-shed counters for sustained effectiveness against NFL centers.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.46sp50
- Vertical
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- Broad jump
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- Three-cone
- —s
- Shuttle
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- Bench
- —rep
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ohio State | 16 | 43 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 13 | 69 | 6.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | — | 29 | 112 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Green-dot MIKE whose value comes from length, range and coverage feel rather than volume sacks; the realistic every-down floor if the pass-rush role stays situational.
Same length-plus-burst hybrid template — off-ball snaps that flex into designed pass rush; the high-end outcome if the sub-package sack production carries and he stacks All-Pro seasons.
Rangy, athletic linebacker whose take-on discipline and pass-rush plan never fully matured, capping the impact despite premium tools — the outcome if the block-shedding never catches up to the frame.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Pre-draft context. Reese entered Ohio State as a top-100 Cleveland-area recruit and spent his first two seasons rotating behind Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Simon, absorbing the Buckeye defensive playbook without ever quite unseating the veterans. Jim Knowles handed him the green-dot in 2025 and the tape immediately shifted the entire pre-draft conversation: a 6'4", 245-pound off-ball with defensive-end length, sideline range and a designed pass-rush package that Ohio State activated on third down. He finished as a Butkus and Bednarik finalist, anchored an Ohio State defense that led the Big Ten in third-down conversion rate, and confirmed the athletic profile at the 2026 Combine and Ohio State pro day. Board consensus locked him in as LB1 from mid-October forward.
NFL fit — New York Giants. New York's front seven had already invested in splash pass-rush snaps but lacked a green-dot linebacker who could carry tight ends and adjust the front on the fly. Reese answers both problems in one selection: an every-down MIKE on early downs, a stand-up rusher on obvious passing downs and the coverage utility to keep the base defense on the field against 11 personnel. Pairing him with the Giants' existing edge investment turns the front seven into a legitimate sub-package unit for the first time in years, and the archetype is the modern draft's highest-leverage defensive slot.
Retrospective. Reserved — the professional résumé begins in the fall. Reese arrives with the length, coverage feel and hybrid pass-rush cross-training that historically translate to Pro Bowl every-down linebackers, and the pre-draft process removed the athletic guesswork that usually gates fast-riser MIKE prospects. The open questions are whether the take-on discipline against NFL centers catches up to the frame and whether the situational rush production scales without full-time reps. A conservative floor projects a Fred Warner-style every-down anchor; the ceiling is the modern hybrid front-runner the Giants paid a top-five pick to build a defense around.