Scouting Report for Arvell Reese

Arvell Reese is a young front-seven prospect whose freakish athleticism, play strength, size, and versatility make him an intriguing option at both edge rusher and off-ball linebacker.

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Reese was a 4-star recruit and a top 20 LB prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, choosing Ohio State over Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, and others. Touted for his rawness and versatility even in high school, Reese would hardly see the field his freshman year and was confined to a limited role his second year, though he flashed potential. In his junior year, Reese would take the nation by storm, opening the season with a dominant performance vs. Texas and absolutely tearing through the Big 10, especially during weeks 1-10. Reese earned first-team All-Big 10 and Consensus All-American honors, as well as Big 10 Linebacker of the year, thanks to his 2025 campaign. 

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More than anything else, Reese has elite traits. He has elite strength for an off-ball LB to go with great closing speed, length, size, and some solid fluidity. He is one of two dynamic Ohio State linebackers to post a dominant performance at the 2026 Combine, measuring in at 6'4", 241lbs and posting a jaw-dropping 4.46 40-yard dash. Reese, however, is not a total work-in-progress, as he's already a tone-setter in the run game and has begun developing some pass rush

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As a pass defender, Reese offers a plethora of intriguing skills. Currently, his most developed skill is his Terminator-like presence as a QB spy, which was one of Ohio State's favorite ways to deploy him (he neutralized the athletic ability of Arch Manning and Demond Williams). In coverage is where Reese is currently weakest. Reese has a tough time getting back into action after biting hard on PA, caught covering grass at times, and is generally green and inconsistent in his route recognition. Where Reese's potential is most exciting, however, is when he's getting after the QB. Reese has executed various stunts and pulverized RBs on his way to QBs as a blitzer, and knocked back offensive tackles with his powerful initial hand strikes as an edge rusher. Reese is already capable of more than just speed-to-power, however, showcasing on multiple occasions that he's adding two-hand swipes, rips, dips, and more to his arsenal. While enticing, Reese still has a long way to go in developing a well-rounded pass-rush arsenal with 3-4 reliable, effective go-to moves.  ​

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Against the run, Reese is alignment versatile and extremely strong, regularly dominating linemen and tight ends alike at the point of attack, whether lined up off-ball or on the edge. Multiple instances of him winning the initial contact exchange, powerfully setting the edge, outleveraging the blocker, and piercing his chest with a one-arm stab. Reese's initial strike is powerful, and he is capable of going through or around a lineman. He excels at moving laterally and keeping his hips square to the LOS once he's diagnosed the play, and he arrives at the ball carrier with reliable tackling. Reese casts a wide net as a tackler, making it extremely hard for ball carriers to make him miss. While impressive for a 20-year-old, Reese will have to improve his run diagnosistics to compete at the next level, especially if a team plans on playing him off-ball. Though the college tape is exciting, I do think Reese should continue to fill out his frame and continue to develop his overall strength to ensure his power profile remains proficient at the next level. 

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I believe Arvell Reese projects best in the NFL as an eventual edge rusher, though I think it would be wise to deploy him in a plethora of ways early on to maximize his strengths while developing his pass rush skillset. Reese has the potential to be a versatile, All-Pro defender thanks to his athletic traits, play strength, and upside, and I believe he will land on the Jets, Titans, or Commanders.

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Grade: early 1st round

Archetype: Uber-Athletic Hybrid Edge Rusher

High-End Pro Comparison: Dont'a Hightower + Brian Orakpo

Low-End Pro Comparison: Barkevious Mingo

Measurables, Athletic Testing, & Film