COLUMBUS, Ohio — Arvell Reese didn’t just participate in Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday; he hijacked it. With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, the Buckeyes’ consensus All-American linebacker erased any doubt about his top-three status. Reese shredded position drills, showing the same sideline-to-sideline speed that earned him the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award this past season.
The Coffee Table Comparison
The Woody Hayes Athletic Center fell silent when Reese stepped to the line for his pass-rush reps. Scouts from all 32 teams leaned in, but the New York Jets contingent—holding the No. 2 overall pick—seemed particularly locked in. Reese, who clocked a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, chose to focus on position-specific fluidity during the Columbus session. He moved with a terrifying grace for a man standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 241 pounds.
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick watched the workout and didn’t hold back. Speaking on NFL Draft Daily, Riddick broke down the physical traits that have the league’s front offices buzzing. He described a rare blend of “fluidity and flexibility” that separates Reese from every other defender in this class.
The movement style is what sticks. Reese can drop his hips and turn a corner with the balance of a much smaller man. He looks physically “tapered at the waist,” with the massive, broad shoulders that scouts crave in a modern hybrid defender. Whether he was simulating a “designated pass rusher” (DPR) role or dropping into coverage, the explosiveness was impossible to miss. He didn’t just run the drills; he attacked them.
“You can see why all the teams are sitting there just absolutely licking their chops. … A guy like this goes within the top three or four picks. His upside as a third-down pass rusher is unlimited.”
— Louis Riddick, ESPN NFL Draft Analyst
The Battle for No. 2
The draft board is starting to crystallize. With the Las Vegas Raiders virtually locked into Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the real drama starts in New York. The Jets need a defensive identity. Pairing Reese with their current front would give them a weapon similar to Micah Parsons—a player who can wreck a game plan from three different spots on the field.
Reese’s 2025 season was a masterclass in versatility, finishing with 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He spent the afternoon in Columbus proving those numbers weren’t a fluke. During a private moment after the workout, Reese spent nearly twenty minutes speaking with New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh, though most league insiders believe he won’t fall past the Jets. The Saints, picking at No. 8, also had dinner with Reese this week, but they would likely need a massive trade-up to land the Buckeye star.
The ceiling for Reese is whatever he wants it to be. If he continues to refine his hand-fighting as a pure edge rusher, he isn’t just a high pick—he’s a future All-Pro. For the teams at the top of the order, Wednesday’s performance wasn’t just a workout. It was a confirmation.
