Former Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese will be one of the first defensive players taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. The star defender is projected to go as high as No. 2 overall to the New York Jets.
The NFL Combine is going on right now, and Reese just finished his 40-yard dash, putting up impressive numbers.
Reese put up a 4.47 40 that will certainly open up a lot of eyes. Reese ran a 4.53 on his first attempt. It will be tough for the Jets to pass up on him, however, fellow Ohio State star Caleb Downs could easily go second overall instead. Nonetheless, these numbers will have Reese’s stock rise.
In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Reese finished with 112 career tackles (52 solo) with two pass deflections and 7.0 sacks. He had 6.5 sacks last season. At 6-foot-4 and roughly 245 lbs, Reese can play linebacker or do something similar to Micah Parsons and move over to an edge rusher. There is a good chance that Reese begins his NFL career as a linebacker.
If the Jets want Reese, then they may want him as an edge rusher. On Thursday, the Jets just traded their best edge rusher, Jermaine Johnson II, to the Tennessee Titans for T’Vondre Sweat. Maybe the Jets are thinking about improving the entire defensive front rather than having two edge rushers.
Reese recently said that he would love to rush the passer, and he isn’t wrong for wanting that. Edge rushers make the big bucks now.
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