Ohio State is set to have a very big day in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft as three Buckeyes could be selected in the Top 10. Linebacker Arvell Reese is slated as the first Ohio State player to come off the board, currently projected at No. 2 to the Jets.
Reese should be followed by Sonny Styles, who could go at No. 5 to the New York Giants, and finally defensive back Caleb Downs, who might slip to No. 10 with the Cincinnati Bengals due to a flagged medical test. Styles showed out at the NFL Combine, while Downs and Reese didn't do as many workouts.
Reese, however, is still being talked about as a top guy in the draft and someone that could be taken over top EDGE rushers like Ruben Bain Jr. and David Bailey. Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia believes there is one component of Reese's game that gives him an advantage over those guys.
"The thing about Arvell that different is that Arvell can play multiple positions," Patricia said in an interview with Peter Schrager.
Find someone who loves and believes in you like Matt Patricia believes in Arvell Reese.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 5, 2026
I had the Ohio State DC on this week's "The Schrager Hour" and he raved about the person and player.
When asked if the Jets should take Reese second overall, here was Matty P. @OmahaProd pic.twitter.com/QPJRTSxOHw
Reese has the ability to play up on the line and be a pass rusher that knows how to get to the quarterback, but he can also drop back into coverage and really disrupt routes. Being a coach in the NFL at one point, Patricia knows that going up against the same guys in the same position can be tough, so Reese being able to be dynamic in his rushes can really set him apart.
Matt Patricia is Arvell Reese's biggest cheerleader in the NFL Draft
When Matt Patricia sees Arvell Reese, he says he can't help but smile because of the type of guy and player that he is. Patricia talked about Reese being a sponge when he is playing football, just constantly wanting to learn more.
Patricia could not stop raving about the kind of player Reese is and how his ability to play one position, but it seems like many positions is just special. Reese is going to make one NFL team very happy, and Patricia is giving his former linebacker quite the endorsement ahead of the draft.