From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Ohio State LB Arvell Reese.
#8 ARVELL REESE/ LB, OHIO STATE (JUNIOR) – 6’4”, 243 pounds.
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Arvell Reese 6’4”/243 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
The Good
— Very good size and length
— Impressive speed and athleticism
— Versatile; can play off the ball or on the edge
— Good timing and acceleration as a blitzer; effective green dog/coffeehouse blitzer
— Good quickness and punch when rushing off the edge
— Solid in zone coverage; can handle tight ends/running backs in man
— Solid mental processing in the running game
— Quick burst to get into gaps/backfield in a flash
— Good hand placement/pad level taking on inside/edge blocks
— Aggressive in taking on pullers/setting the edge
— Sideline-to-sideline speed
— Strong tackler inside and in space
The Bad
— His pass rush plan is limited
— Use of hands as a pass rusher is adequate at this point
— Slow to disengage from blocks
— Will duck head into blocks and lose sight of the ball
— On the edge, will take on blocks inside, leaving the outside open
— Will bite on misdirection
Stats
— 38 games/14 starts
— Career: 112 tackles, 52 solo, 13.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 PBU
— 2025: 69 tackles, 10 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 PBU
— 2025 Consensus All-American
— 2025: First team All-Big 10
— Big Ten Conference’s Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year (2025)
— Two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024)
— Two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2024, 2025)
— Had a career-best 12 tackles vs. Penn State
— Participated in the “13th Annual Feed the Need” for St. Augustine
— Involved in supporting THE Foundation, a NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) organization that benefits student-athletes at Ohio State University
Injury History
— No injuries of note
Background
— Birthday: August 30, 2005 (20)
— Fifth-ranked player in Ohio by the 247Sports composite and No. 19 linebacker nationally as a senior in 2022
— Division IV Defensive Player of the Year by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
— Led Cleveland Glenville to its first state title in 2022
— Selected to play in the Army All-American Bowl
— Finalist 2022 High School Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top high school linebacker
— First-team All-Ohio by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
Tape Breakdown
Arvell Reese is an uber-athletic, high-energy defender with very good height and weight. He is relatively inexperienced, with just one year as a starter, but he has a ton of versatility. He was used to align as an off-the-ball linebacker and on the edge and is a three-down player.
Against the pass, he has a skill set that allows him to cover or rush the passer. In zone coverage, he gets good depth and stays on his toes, ready to engage. He has solid awareness of players in his area and will try to redirect them as they come through. In man coverage, he has ample athleticism, speed, and size to handle running backs, tight ends, or cover the deep middle third in a Tampa 2.
He closes on the ball quickly and is a physical tackler.
His athleticism shows in his fluidity in coverage.
As an off-the-ball pass rusher, he has good timing and elite acceleration. He was used on green dog and coffee house blitzes and has the athleticism to spy on the quarterback.
From the edge, he has good snap quickness and pad level with a strong punch against the blocker. He displays solid speed when bull-rushing and will dip around the outside to try to gain the advantage.
Here are a couple of examples of his closing speed.
Against the run, he is a solid processor who takes on blocks well with good hand placement and extension. He has good acceleration to fill gaps quickly and get into the backfield. A true sideline-to-sideline linebacker, he has excellent speed to chase down runners. When on the edge, he is aggressive and physical, taking on pullers to constrict running lanes, and is good at setting the edge. Overall, he is a very good tackler, both between the tackles and in space.
His pass-rushing plan is limited at this point and relies on his athleticism. His use of hands while rushing the passer is adequate but undefined. When taking on blockers, he is a little slow to disengage. Additionally, he will dip his head into some of those blocks, losing sight of the ball. Occasionally, he will take on blocks to the inside, leaving the outside open.
He will chase the fake on some misdirection plays.
Conclusion
Overall, Reese is an incredibly athletic, well-built defender with very good size. He can play off the ball or on the edge. He is capable in zone coverage and can handle man coverage on tight ends and running backs. Reese is still raw as a pass rusher, but he will improve and can be impactful off the edge. He is a good run defender, solid processor, and good tackler. With very good speed, he can make plays sideline to sideline.
Areas to improve include refining his pass-rush plan, including how he uses his hands. Disengaging from blocks more quickly, keeping his eyes up when engaged, and continuing to improve his mental processing will enhance his play.
Reese is a really impressive athlete, and his versatility is rare. He could play anywhere off the ball (MIKE/SAM/WILL) or as a stand-up edge defender. His future defensive coordinator will have plenty of options for how to use him to confuse the offense. My thought is he should play inside on early downs and, on passing downs, become a movable catalyst whom the offense will need to account for.
For a player comp, I’ll go with Micah Parsons. He was a more refined pass-rusher coming out, but both are impressive, versatile athletes with sideline-to-sideline range and good tackling skills.
NFL Projection: High First RoundSteelers Depot Grade: 9.2 (All-Pro)Grade Range: 8.7 – 9.6Games Watched: 2025 – Vs Texas, At Wisconsin, At Michigan, Vs Indiana (Big Ten Championship, Vs Miami (Cotton Bowl)
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