Ohio State breakout linebacker Arvell Reese declares for NFL draft

Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese announced he is forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

“It was truly an honor to suit up in the scarlet and grey,” he wrote in a graphic posted to his Instagram page on Jan. 8.

He could be the Buckeyes ’ highest-drafted player this year and first No. 1 overall pick since offensive tackle Orlando Pace in 1997 if the Las Vegas Raiders pass on taking a quarterback in April.

Reese became an instant star for the Buckeyes in his debut as a starter this past season, seeing his draft stock soar as he pressured opposing quarterbacks off the edge and chased downs plays off the ball.

He finished second among the Buckeyes with 69 tackles, including 10 behind the line of scrimmage, and posted 6.5 sacks. He was a consensus All-American and named the Big Ten’s linebacker of the year.

Though his production tailed off late in 2025, as he was held without a sack over Ohio State’s final six games, his broad skill set makes him a coveted prospect. The Buckeyes featured the 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker as both an edge rusher and traditional linebacker in the box.

The combination of traits has drawn comparison to Abdul Carter , the versatile pass rusher from Penn State who went No. 3 overall to the New York Giants last year.

Before Reese’s breakout season, he had been a rotational linebacker who was used in heavier personnel packages. The Cleveland native had 42 tackles as a sophomore in 2024 as he complemented Cody Simon and Sonny Styles .

Reese is the Buckeyes’ third early entrant for the 2026 draft following wide receiver Carnell Tate and safety Caleb Downs who made announcements earlier this week.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky , Instagram and X for more.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese declares for NFL draft