Top NFL Draft Analyst Explains Why Arvell Reese's Inexperience at Ohio State Will Help Him

Ohio State’s Arvell Reese has been one of the most debated prospects in the leadup to the 2026 NFL Draft for months, and if anything, it’s just heating up.

And while Reese’s hybrid role role for the Buckeyes last season -- where he was asked to rush off the edge despite being primarily an off-the-ball linebacker -- has made more than a few pause and reflect on where his true NFL position may lie, one top analyst has no doubts on what Reese can bring to the table.

Joel Klatt, lead NFL Draft analyst for Fox Sports, showered a ton of praise on Reese, actually describing his “inexperience” as a pure edge-rusher as a draw for NFL teams on the lookout for an impact player.

"(Arvell Reese) is a longer, more physical Micah Parsons. And he's just scratching the surface."

NFL Draft analyst Joel Klatt believes Ohio State LB Arvell Reese has DPOY-worthy talent 👀@joelklatt | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/qjDMMspSWh
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 17, 2026

“He’s so inexperienced. See, for quarterbacks, inexperience is a huge red flag, because you gotta have it to succeed,” explained Klatt on the “Up And Adams Show”. “These other positions, like a position where Arvell is playing, inexperience is actually a green flag, ‘cause you’re like ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, there’s so much upside there that you can capture with a guy like Arvell Reese. So he’s gonna continue to get better, he’s just capturing the surface, and I think he’s gonna be a great player.”

Arvell Reese gets legendary draft comparison

Klatt added himself to the legion of observers who see in Green Bay Packers’ superstar Micah Parsons a valid comparison for Reese.

“He’s a longer, more physical Micah Parsons, and he’s just scratching the surface, So, Arvell just started for one year at Ohio State. And during that year, he just scratched the surface of playing on the edge. So he was an off-the-ball linebacker.

And then he became kind of a hybrid, off-the-ball, on-the-ball type of player on the edge. And so he can do all the things from a versatility standpoint that Micah can do, and yet he’s just scratching the surface and he’s bigger than Micah and he’s longer than Micah.”

As for what’s next for Reese, Klatt didn’t hesitate in tabbing the former Buckeye standout as a future NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate, once he taps in his potential as an edge rusher.

“Now I think for him, his next step in maturation is becoming like a great first-step pass-rusher. And I think he can do that, ‘cause he’s incredibly explosive. But Arvell is the kind of guy that can have a Micah Parsons impact. I think he can be, at some point in his career, in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year because of that: the way he can play in space, off-the-ball, on-the-ball and impact the game, I think is pretty special.”

Klatt has Reese going second overall to the New York Jets in next months’ draft, an opinion shared by many league observers.

The comparison to Parsons isn’t new for Reese, but what others may consider as a reason to pause -- Reese's limited work rushing the quarterback off the edge after starting only one year in college -- looks like a big plus for Klatt.

We’ll know soon enough how the Jets -- who have already met with Reese -- and other NFL teams feel about his incredible physical attributes, as well as his short- to mid-term projection as a pure pass-rusher once he finds an NFL home.