Ohio State’s overlooked defensive superstar should be shooting up NFL Draft boards

Ohio State lost four NFL draft picks off its defensive line, a starting linebacker, a starting safety, and two starting cornerbacks from its national championship-winning roster, along with the defensive coordinator who led the unit, and may have gotten better. 

It’s been smooth sailing so far on Matt Patricia’s maiden voyage in Columbus. The Buckeyes have yet to allow double-digit points this season, are allowing the fewest points per game in the country. They rank inside the top 10 in total defense and top 20 in the FBS in both EPA/play and success rate. Simply put, they’ve been dominant, and they’ve done it, largely, with fresh faces. 

One of those fresh(er) faces isn’t a newcomer, but he was an overlooked contributor a year ago who has blossomed into a superstar: junior linebacker Arvell Reese. 

Reese leads the team with 25 tackles, as any good linebacker should, but it’s his versatility that has made him so special. He’s instinctive about getting into passing lanes as a zone dropper, sheds blockers like a much bigger player than the 6-foot-4, 243 pounds he’s listed at, and is disruptive in the backfield with 2.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. 

He still isn’t quite on the NFL draftnik communities radar, and won’t be found in the first round of many 2026 mock drafts, but he will be. His tape from Ohio State’s Week 5 win over Washington has been ciriculating on social media, and if you don’t believe me, see for yourself why he’s a surefire 2026 first-rounder and the best linebacker in college football. 

Arvell Reese is the hybrid linebacker every NFL team wants

This is an image that many people have in their head about who Micah Parsons is in the NFL, an oversized hybrid linebacker who can run in coverage, but is a monster as a pass-rusher, and for Parsons, that hasn’t been true in years. He still can do all of those things, but he’s a full-time edge rusher and has been since his second year in the NFL. He’s played just four snaps off the line of scrimmage for the Packers this year. 

However, that archetype of a physical hybrid linebacker who can rush the passer, fit the run, and play in coverage, is still highly-sought-after. Jalon Walker was a first-round pick out of Georgia as that type of player last season, first-team All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun still played quite a bit on the edge for the Eagles last year. 

Though, Walker and Minnesota’s Andrew Van Ginkel skew more towards the edge, while Baun and Washington’s Frankie Luvu towards off-ball backer. Reese, at least so far this season, is rocking a near perfect 50/50 split, with 86 snaps on the edge, 84 in the box, and eight in slot. Offensive coordinators have to flip a coin to find out where he’ll line up, and he can wreck the game from any spot. 

Reese is an impressive development story, the kind you need to immediately reclaim the No. 1 spot in the country after having 14 players drafted off your title-winning roster. With Reese, senior edge rusher Caden Curry, who leads the Big Ten with five sacks, and a host of other first-year starters, the Buckeyes are the deserving national title favorites.