Arvell Reese Could Erase Cowboys' Massive Micah Parsons Void On Defense

The Dallas Cowboys have been linked to Ohio State Buckeyes star Arvell Reese, who could be exactly what the team's defense has been missing.

Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese works out during Pro Day for NFL scouts at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 NFL Draft with holes on all three levels of the defense, so it comes as no surprise that the team has been linked to several of the top defensive prospects in this year's class.

Dallas is also considered one of the main candidates to execute a draft day trade, with their eyes on elite talent like Texas Tech's David Bailey, and the All-American Ohio State duo of Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles.

While most of the recent discussion has centered around trade scenarios for Styles, Reese could still be in play if he finds a way out of the top three picks.

If that were to be the case, the Cowboys should immediately pick up the phone to see if they could work out a trade, because Reese is one of the true game-changers who could be a difference-maker from Day 1. And, according to Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan, a player who could end up filling the void left by Micah Parsons' trade to the Green Bay Packers, and more.

Is Arvell Reese Better Than Micah Parsons?

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese reacts during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Parsons is one of the best and most dynamic pass rushers in the NFL, Belt believes Reese could develop into a better overall player. For a defense that needs help everywhere on the field, a well-rounded player is exactly what it would benefit from in Christian Parker's scheme.

Reese is truly a do-it-all player, and if used and trained properly in the scheme, there is no telling what his ceiling could be.

"I don't believe he'll be as good of a pass rusher as Micah Parsons," Belt said. "There is a chance he could be a better overall player than Micah Parsons. Because he is a very good cover player. He is a very good run defender. He is a very good pass rusher. Micah is a historic pass rusher, who is... decent at times in coverage and struggle sometimes against the run.

"Depending on how you weight things and different things like that, you could look at it and say, Reese, if he reaches that level at the NFL, then he could be a better player overall. There was not a game he played at Ohio State where he was primarily a pass rusher. He played linebacker most of the time, and he just, he would rush in spots, and he would, you know, be asked to play some edge... And that's the reason why people have such a scary upside for Reese is because they're like, he hasn't even been coached up on [pass rushing]. As soon as we teach him how to use those tools, you are not going to be able to block him.

.@BobbyBeltTX with @1053SS and @rjchoppy on Arvell Reese:

"This is not a slight to Micah. I don't believe (Arvell Reese) will be as good a pass rusher as Micah Parsons. There is a chance he could be a better overall player..."#ArvellReese #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ji3iFdSzti

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) April 15, 2026

Last season, Reese recorded a career-high 69 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, and two passes defensed. He was named a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year.

If the Cowboys get a strike of luck on draft day and Reese falls into their lap or within striking distance for a trade, it could be a franchise-changing moment for Dallas.

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