Arvell Reese is one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft after a standout career with Ohio State. His position fit is one of the compelling questions in the draft.
Jordan Reid Evaluates Arvell Reese’s NFL Draft Position Fit
Reese has drawn comparisons to superstar hybrid defender Micah Parsons for his dynamic playmaking. As he prepares for the NFL Draft, analysts are weighing whether he projects better as an off-ball linebacker or an outside linebacker and edge rusher at the next level, and Jordan Reid weighed in.
“This dude was everything that you want at the position this past season at Ohio State,” Reid said of Reese on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday. “There’s some debate on if he’s going to be an edge rusher, or if he’s an off-ball linebacker. I feel more comfortable with him as an off-ball linebacker just because I’ve seen him do it.
“I think he’s a little bit raw as an edge rusher, but you see the flashes of him and what he can do. I think (Matt) Patricia did a hell of a job this year interchanging him a bit in that off-ball linebacker spot and the edge rusher spot. So it’s just a matter of comfort where you want to play him.”
Other NFL evaluators have echoed the discussion, as Emmanuel Acho said on the “Speakeasy” podcast that while Reese has the athletic tools to play on the edge, he isn’t a “natural pass rusher” like DeMarcus Ware, Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, or Von Miller.
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“Arvell Reese is not a natural by any stretch of the imagination,” Acho said.
At 6-foot-4, 241 pounds, Reese combines size, explosiveness, and versatility. He acknowledged the need to add bulk to thrive as an outside linebacker or edge rusher in the NFL, but he also showed the ability to set the edge against the run at Ohio State.
However, Reese has made it clear that he sees himself as a player who can excel on the edge.
“Teams have pretty much been asking me what I want to do and see where my mind was at. I’ve been telling them I think I’m an outside linebacker/edge,” Reese said in February. “I haven’t even scratched the surface with really what I can do pass rushing.”
Reese’s 2025 season at Ohio State was incredible, as he played in all 14 games, earning All-American honors. He recorded 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 69 total tackles, posting a 77.2 score in the PFSN’s CFB EDGE Impact Metrics, ranking him No. 62 nationally.
