COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Arvell Reese could be the first defensive player off the board during the first round of the NFL draft on April 23 in Pittsburgh.
There isn’t a clear consensus, though, on the best position for the Ohio State linebacker.
Scouts and defensive coaches praise Reese for his versatility. Most think he can develop into an elite pass rusher, while others envision him more as an off-ball linebacker.
As for where Reese feels he is the best fit, he will leave that up to the team that selects him.
“Last year, I played everywhere from inside linebackers to SAM (outside) to edge (rusher), so I was comfortable everywhere. My whole role wasn’t stationed in one spot. I had to be comfortable in every situation,” Reese said after his workout at Ohio State’s pro day on March 25. “It changes each team, so it depends on the system and how the defensive coordinator thinks he’ll use me.”
Reese was an edge rusher and middle linebacker his first two seasons with the Buckeyes, but it was Matt Patricia’s arrival as defensive coordinator last year that unlocked Reese’s full potential. Patricia lined up Reese as a joker defender, which is a hybrid linebacker/edge rusher who can play on the edge or move inside to spy on the quarterback or contain opposing running backs.
The role also suited Reese perfectly. He was second on the Buckeyes with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6 1/2 sacks, as the unit led the nation in total and scoring defense.
Reese was named the Big Ten’s Linebacker of the Year and was the first AP All-America at Ohio State since James Laurinaitis was a three-time selection from 2006 through ’08. Laurinaitis was also Reese’s position coach.
“I think he was able to show the variety and skill set that he has to be able to play all those positions,” Patricia said.
Besides his athletic potential, Patricia noted one thing overlooked about Reese: his football acumen.
“There’s the explosive power and that raw ability that he showed last year, but a lot of those calls he made on the field. And I think you see there that football IQ is at a high level,” Patricia said.
Reese worked out as a linebacker at the combine but did defensive line end and edge rusher drills at Ohio State’s pro day.
The New York Jets, who have the second overall pick, had general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn at the pro day.
Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort said during the combine that the biggest thing with Reese was to take advantage of what he does best. The Cardinals have the third overall pick.
“In the case of Arvell, he’s played off the ball, which was really good. And then he’s played on the line of scrimmage, which was really good too. But usually, you’d value higher really the pass rush. So if you can pass rush, you let them line up on the line of scrimmage and pass rush,” Ossenfort said.
Reese is often compared to Green Bay’s Micah Parsons in terms of potential and similar routes in transitioning from linebacker to pass rusher. Reese won’t turn 21 until Aug. 30, but also acknowledges he still has plenty to learn.
“There’s much more room for improvement. I haven’t even, in my eyes, started the process of learning how to pass rush and working on all those types of things,” he said.
Reese will be one of five Ohio State players who will be in the green room in Pittsburgh waiting for his name to be called. The Buckeyes could have four prospects taken in the top 10, which would be only the third time that has happened in the NFL draft. The last time it was done was in 1967 by Michigan State.
“I mean, that would be amazing. I’m very proud of their hard work, and I’m excited about how they’re working now to get ready for that next challenge,” Patricia said. “However the draft goes, it goes. That’s something that I know from my NFL side. The most important thing is what you do when you get there.”
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