Ohio State's “Monster” Arvell Reese Already Terrorizing Opposing Backfields, Emerging As Star in 2025

Sam Darnold’s career resurrection showed just how raw a deal he got being drafted to the New York Jets.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft looked every bit of a bust in his first six professional seasons before throwing for more than 4,000 yards under center with the Minnesota Vikings last year, though a poor outing in his first career playoff start saw him booted from Minnesota and signed by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

This isn’t a story about Darnold; it’s a story about Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. But amid the mishap of his second year with the Jets, Darnold had a famous quote while mic’d up on Monday Night Football against the undefeated New England Patriots that underscored just how lost he was to that point in his journey.

“I’m seeing ghosts.”

New York lost the game 33-0.

Sam Darnold is micd up and he came to the sidelines and said, Im seeing ghosts.

(Via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/9MoM6Rkmo5
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) October 22, 2019

Texas quarterback Arch Manning had to identify with that quote in his first true road start against then-No. 3, now-No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday. It’s true with the myriad coverages and disguises thrown in his face by Buckeye defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, but it was especially true of Reese.

Reese lined up as an inside linebacker, an outside linebacker, in the B-gap on the line of scrimmage and on the end of the line of scrimmage. He racked up nine tackles with the game’s lone sack, adding four quarterback hurries of Manning per Pro Football Focus.

He’s a ghost. A ghoul.

“He's a monster,” Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain said on Wednesday. “He’s just physically imposing and does what he looks like he's going to do.”

When Reese saw the game plan developing for him throughout preseason camp, it grew his anticipation for the start of the season. A hulking physical specimen to look at, his freak combination of size, strength and speed at the linebacker position allowed him to wear all the different hats he wore against Texas.

“Yeah, I was excited,” Reese said. “Just (for) a bunch of different spots, bunch of different roles.”

Here's where Ohio State 'middle linebacker' Arvell Reese lined up on each snap in the first quarter yesterday. pic.twitter.com/dSIaGOlSQx
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) August 31, 2025

Reese’s freakish traits were especially evident on his pass rush reps. Few linebackers across college football can simply overpower offensive tackles and guards. He did it routinely to the Longhorns’ linemen.

LB Arvell Reese is everywhere on the OSU-UT tape.

He's casually forklifts a 310-pound blocker on this rep and has the speed to flush Arch. Matt Patricia really weaponized him in this game. pic.twitter.com/7HPTik13YS
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) August 30, 2025

Ohio State left guard Luke Montgomery, who himself had a great showing against Texas, has felt Reese’s power in practice and delivered some advice to future opposing offensive linemen.

“Get hands on him fast,” Montgomery said. “He’s great. He’s bound to have a heck of a year, I’ve always said that. He’s definitely underrated for all the other guys that we have this year on the defense. It’s great to have when you have guys in there like that. He’s gonna have a heck of a year. I mean, just look at him.”

Reese rushed Manning on 40.6% of the pass plays he was on the field per PFF, much lower than the rates of the Buckeyes’ defensive linemen, but he still led Ohio State in total pressures with five. No one else had more than three. Given that he received 13 total pass rush reps, Reese pressured Manning on 38.5% of his rushes.

Ryan Day was impressed by how Reese executed Ohio State’s game plan as one of eight new full-time starters on a defense that held the Longhorns to seven points.

“His production in the big game and in that spot,” Day said. “He started before, but not like a full-time starter, I guess is the best way to put it. Where our defensive staff, I think, was creative in what they did. But that's Arvell putting it on the field, and his versatility allows us to do different things with him.”

Nothing about Reese’s day shocked Day, however. He’s been putting in the work required to explode in 2025.

“Great start for him, but he's a guy who practices that way,” Day said. “I don't think anybody who saw him practice throughout the month of August was surprised with the production that he had. And we're going to continue to need him. He's going to be a big part of our defense this season.”