Ohio State’s Arvell Reese Explains How Ohio State Prepared Him for NFL Draft

The Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing to watch numerous high-level talents be selected in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

One that has continuously grabbed eyes during his college career, and now at the NFL Combine, is linebacker Arvell Reese. The talented, athletic and quick defender recently stated just how big of an impact Ohio State had on his development on the gridiron.

He believes that his decision to attend the University and play there for his entire college career allowed him to be prepared for that next step in his journey at the pro level.

“There’s dawgs everywhere," Reese said about Ohio State's talent. "You gotta be comfortable knowing that you’re not the only dawg there. You have to work to be better every day."

He then went on to say working alongside so many high-profile athletes allows him to get better over time, as that type of competition forces growth.

In his junior campaign, Reese was one of the top defenders in the nation. He was consistently making plays for Ohio State's defense and helping them find the success they were having. He capped off the year with 69 total tackles, 10 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He also tacked on two pass deflections in the air attack.

His dual-threat capabilities will likely see him go within the Top 15 of the draft.

Cleveland-native Arvell Reese said he picked Ohio State because it would prepare him for the NFL.

“There’s dawgs everywhere. You gotta be comfortable knowing that you’re not the only dawg there.” pic.twitter.com/XbiADTCKBl
— BIGPLAY (@BIGPLAY) February 25, 2026

Reese's Breakout with the Buckeyes

His journey with Ohio State is a lot like many others.

He had to rely on patience and a strong mental fortitude, as he wasn't good enough to immediately jump onto the field. Back in 2023, he played in just six games, not recording a single statistic. Then, jumping to 2024, he finally got a chance to step into a bigger role with the program.

His improvement over time and adaptation to being a Buckeye allowed him to end up thriving on the field.

In his sophomore season, a year highlighted by the team winning a national championship, he played in 16 games. During that time on the field, he made 43 total tackles, 3.5 for a loss and 0.5 sacks. He wasn't playing as important of a role on the defense, but the coaching staff recognized his ability to play and that's when they decided to make him a focal point for 2025.

While the Buckeyes were not able to make a postseason push, falling in both the Big Ten title game and the first round of the College Football Playoffs, Reese had done enough individually to show just how impactful he was.

His highlight-worthy game occurred against the Penn State Nittany Lions back on Nov. 1, where he was a force to be reckoned with. He finished the game with 12 tackles, 2.5 for a loss and one sack.

He has good size and length, impressive speed and versatility as a defender, all while being aggressive and mentally sharp. Some scouts and analysts have said that counterpart Sonny Styles has a higher ceiling, but Reese's physical attributes alone will allow him to play an immediate role on an NFL team.

Recently, he came out and added that he's willing to adapt to playing whatever role necessary.

Ahead of his jump to the NFL, Reese has stated numerous times that he hopes to play as an outside linebacker/edge, instead of as an inside or off-the-ball linebacker. If he wants to do that, he will have to add on a few more pounds and show teams that he has the athleticism for such a change.

"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 a Wednesday press conference. "I haven't even scratched the surface with really what I can do pass rushing."

The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Reese will have a chance to hear his name called on the grandest stage in just a few weeks time. The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa., from Thursday, April 23, to Saturday, April 25.