Arvell Reese LB Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Coverage remains the question mark. He can get late gaining depth against play-action and loses routes at times when receivers break behind him.
• Short-area quickness becomes a limiting factor when matched man-to-man against quicker tight ends or receiving backs out of the backfield.
• Aggressive downhill style creates vulnerabilities. He bites hard on play fakes and can open cutback lanes by attacking gaps too hard.
• Pass rush plan needs more layers. When the initial speed move fails, he defaults to power and gets upright rather than chaining techniques.
• Pass rush instincts are not natural. He wins with raw athleticism rather than feel for timing, leverage, or setting up blockers. Not a plug-and-play edge rusher.
• One full season as a starter. The production is undeniable, but a larger sample would answer questions about consistency and durability.

Scouting Report: Summary

Reese is a heat-seeking missile against the run with the kind of closing speed that makes offensive coordinators cringe when they see him flying toward their running back. The question for NFL teams is simple: where does he fit? He played roughly half his snaps as an edge rusher in 2025 and the other half in the box. Both produced decent numbers. His best football probably comes as a weak-side linebacker in a scheme that turns him loose to attack gaps, chase plays sideline to sideline, and get after the quarterback on third down. When he can see it and go, he is a nightmare.

Teams looking at Reese as a full-time edge rusher need to pump the brakes. His pass rush production comes from athleticism, not instinct. He does not yet have the feel for timing, the ability to set up blockers, or the refined technique to win consistently against NFL tackles. That does not mean the upside is capped, but it does mean he is not a day-one starter on the edge. He needs time to develop a true pass rush toolkit before any team can count on him in that role every snap. The coverage concerns are also legitimate. Zone assignments suit him better than man duties against quick slot players or athletic tight ends. His short-area change of direction cannot match his straight-line burst, so asking him to mirror routes all game is setting him up for frustration.

Here is the deal with Reese: he has the physical tools, the production, and the mentality to become a three-down linebacker at the next level. The athleticism is rare. The instincts against the run are sharp. The motor never stops. He needs refinement in coverage and significant development as a pass rusher before he can be trusted in either role full-time. What cannot be taught is the way he processes the run game or the way he finishes plays. A defense that deploys him correctly as a linebacker first with occasional rush duties gets an impact player from Week 1 with Pro Bowl upside as the rest of his game catches up to his physical gifts.