INDIANAPOLIS — Arvell Reese might be the most compelling prospect at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft, a potential position-swapper whose athleticism and instincts could reshape how teams deploy edge rushers and linebackers.

The Ohio State linebacker earned consensus All-American honors in 2025 playing off-ball linebacker. But scouts and coaches see something more: a prospect athletic enough to thrive as an edge rusher in the pros. He's drawn comparisons to Micah Parsons, the Green Bay Packers star who made a similar transition from Penn State's off-ball linebacker position to All-Pro edge rusher status.

Reese himself remains undecided. At the Scouting Combine this week, the 6-foot-4, 241-pound prospect told teams he envisions himself as an "outside linebacker or edge" at the professional level.

What he's certain about is his approach to the game.

"On the football field, I'm just always thinking to play violent," Reese said. "I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can do pass-rushing, for real."

A Precocious Prospect With Room to Grow

At just 20 years old, Reese is an outlier in a draft class where many prospects have five or six years of college football behind them. His Ohio State resume is comparatively lean: special teams work as a freshman, a half-sack as a rotational player on the 2024 national championship team, and his explosive 2025 campaign with 6.5 sacks as an off-ball linebacker.

That limited tape hasn't stopped him from identifying areas for improvement.

"Everywhere," Reese said when asked where he needs to develop. "I think I can get way better at pass rushing, I think I can get way better on coverage, think I can get way better with my pad level. Sometimes I'm too high. There is so much room for improvement for me. I just can't wait to get better."

Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, himself a former Buckeyes standout who played eight years in the NFL, sees a prospect with rare positional flexibility.

"Velly's an outside backer who can play inside. It'd be smart for a D coordinator to put him over the other team's offensive lineman and try to get him in space so he can use his athleticism," Laurinaitis said.

The Matt Patricia Advantage

Reese benefited this past season from playing under Matt Patricia, the longtime NFL coach whose defensive scheme not only elevated Reese's performance but gave him a professional blueprint. The system forced Reese to understand his role within a larger defensive ecosystem—knowledge he's already tested.

"With his defense, I'm able to explain all 11, with 80 to 90% of the calls," Reese said, explaining how he understands the responsibilities of everyone around him.

Laurinaitis credits Reese with the technical tools to excel at multiple pass-rushing approaches: quick enough for speed moves around tackles, strong enough to power through blockers. But the real edge is something harder to teach.

"There's a very natural feel that he has off the line of scrimmage, too," Laurinaitis said. "When you're talking about off-the-ball linebackers, there's almost a God-given element when it comes to feeling offensive plays. You've got to see a lot, but you also have to see a little. It's really hard to describe, even as someone who did it. How do you feel that all coming? There's so much going through your brain, it's hard to train someone, but he has a natural foundation and a gift, and his explosiveness is really what separates him."

Part of Ohio State's Draft Pipeline

Reese could be one of four Ohio State players drafted in the top half of the first round, joining safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles, and wide receiver Carnell Tate on mock draft boards. That doesn't count Jeremiah Smith, the receiver likely headed toward a top-10 pick in 2027, or the 14 Buckeyes taken in the 2025 draft.

That pipeline of elite talent created a pressure cooker in practice, where Reese thrived.

"That's the reason I went there — there's dawgs everywhere," Reese said. "You've got to be comfortable knowing that you're not going to be the only dawg there, so you have to just work to get better every day. We were talented at every position. I think that's what Ohio State does, just produces elite athletes and players."

The Jamie Collins Model

While Reese draws Parsons comparisons for his positional versatility, he models himself after another Patricia connection: former Patriots standout Jamie Collins, who recorded 26.5 career sacks while playing as an off-ball linebacker.

Testing at Multiple Positions

Reese is participating in drills and testing at multiple positions—a stark contrast to Miami's Reuben Bain Jr., who is attending the combine for interviews only. Patricia has prepared him for what's coming, walking him through combine expectations and the questions NFL coaches and scouts will ask.

Eyes on New York

Many mock drafts project Reese as an early first-round pick, often paired with the Jets at No. 2 overall. When asked what it would mean to be drafted that high, Reese kept perspective.

"That would be amazing. Just getting a chance in the NFL would be amazing. It would mean a lot to me to be one of those guys who kids can now look up to, because there were a bunch of guys I looked up to growing up and wanted to be like."