Longtime analyst sees Arvell Reese breaking an NFL Draft trend

NFL Draft season is never too far away, and the Ohio State Buckeyes will always be considered one of the best talent pipelines to the pros.

However, this year, one key player from the vaunted defense could break a recent trend in the selection process, according to longtime NFL Draft analyst, Todd McShay.

On Thursday’s episode of "The Todd McShay Show," the host could not stop raving about Buckeyes’ linebacker Arvell Reese, quickly stating that he considers him a potential Top-10 pick for next year’s draft, even at a position where players aren’t frequently picked that high.

“[Off-ball linebackers] don’t go in the Top-10. It’s rare. You go back to 2020, that’s five years of drafts without an off-ball linebacker going in the Top-10. I think this guy [Reese] could be, could break the norm. I think he’s that talented.”

Regarding Reese’s traits, McShay didn’t hold back on what he thinks makes the Ohio State linebacker such a special talent.

“He has been an absolute epiphany, and by that I mean we knew he was talented, all the recruiting services and talking to people at Ohio State. But when Cody Simon leaves and goes to the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals, there was a question of ‘OK, it’s his time. What are we going to see from this superstar athlete?’... He plays fast and he strikes hard... Sometimes when I’m watching him, I’m like, ‘Is he from this planet? Did he read that, that quickly? Did he slip that block?’”

For the year, Reese is already responsible for 29 total tackles, three tackles for a loss, three sacks and two passes defended.

As far as the unpolished areas of his game, McShay noted

“He’s not perfect yet. You can see some of the game inexperience in some of the lack of eye discipline in coverage sometimes. Gets a little bit overzealous at times, just striking through gaps, although that’s what he’s kind of asked to do on that defense.”

The last time an off-ball linebacker was selected inside the top 10 picks of an NFL Draft was 2020, when the Cardinals selected Isaiah Simmons was taken eighth overall coming out of Clemson. Simmons was last spotted trying out for the Steelers this week as a free agent.

McShay is not alone in regarding Reese as such a special prospect. USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has Reese mocked 11th to the Panthers in his latest version, while Yahoo’s staff sees him being selected 13th by the Broncos.

For his part, SI’s Daniel Flick has him going 14th to the Cowboys.

Either way, Reese is trending upwards, and there’s a good chance he won’t be the only Buckeye being selected in the top half of next year’s draft if he keeps this momentum going.