Read between the lines of his latest interview with Cleveland.com's Stefan Krajisnik, and you'll see in plain sight that former Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese would really like most mock drafts to be wrong.
Most 2026 NFL mock drafts project Heisman-winning ex-Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders and Reese to go No. 2 to the New York Jets.
Reese called the Jets a "serious" organization, which, given how NYJ has played over the past decade and the constant coaching regimes that sink behind the scenes in a turbulent organization, comes off as mockery and sarcastic, rather than a, well, serious, assessment.
Reese had quite a different tune when discussing his hometown Cleveland Browns, though.
“That would mean a lot because I’m from Cleveland,” he said. “That would be crazy.
“It’d just mean a lot to me to be one of those guys who kids can now look up to. [There’s] a bunch of guys I looked up to growing up, wanting to be like. It’d feel good to be doing something good.”
Ohio State fans should want Arvell Reese on the Browns
What's unfortunate is that the Jets may be inclined to select someone from the Buckeyes this April because there are so many great potential selections coming from Columbus this year. Carnell Tate could be forced to be the WR1 for...whoever NYJ trots out there next year under center. Maybe the Jets draft their next great DB with Caleb Downs. If any team would be the second team ever to take a safety at No. 2, it's NYJ. Funnily enough, the first to do that was the Browns with Eric Turner in 1991. I digress, though.
Hopefully, for the large intersectionality between those in Buckeye Nation and the Dawg Pound, Reese ends up back in Cleveland with the Browns. Reese could accomplish more right away with Cleveland than Tate or Downs, giving Myles Garrett the ideal No. 2 EDGE rusher to take away chances of opposing QBs by collapsing pockets together in seconds flat.
We'll see if Cleveland brings Reese home, or if he's too good for the Jets to pass on with the No. 2 pick.