Arvell Reese is a top-five overall NFL draft pick – even if it's not as high as some expected.
Despite the buzz that he'd be a top-three overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, the New York Giants selected the Ohio State linebacker No. 5 overall. He made it back-to-back selections in the top five for the Buckeyes, joining No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate (Titans).
Developed Here!! pic.twitter.com/jp6UTNwg9T
— Ryan Day (@ryandaytime) April 24, 2026
Reese is the 28th linebacker to be selected in the NFL draft since 2000, the most of any program. His selection was followed just two picks later by the selection of another Ohio State linebacker, Sonny Styles.
Ohio State's 2026 NFL Draft Picks
- Carnell Tate: Round 1, No. 4, Tennessee Titans
- Arvell Reese: Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants
- Sonny Styles: Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders
- Caleb Downs: Round 1, No. 11, Dallas Cowboys
- Kayden McDonald: Round 2, No. 36, Houston Texans
- Max Klare: Round 2, No. 61, Los Angeles Rams
- Davison Igbinosun: Round 2, No. 62, Buffalo Bills
- Will Kacmarek: Round 3, No. 87, Miami Dolphins
- Lorenzo Styles Jr.: Round 5, No. 172, New Orleans Saints
- Caden Curry: Round 6, No. 214, Indianapolis Colts
- Ethan Onianwa: Round 7, No. 231, Atlanta Falcons
He’s the first Buckeye selected by the Giants since they drafted Eli Apple in the first round in 2016.
During his breakout junior season at Ohio State in 2025, Reese racked up 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 69 tackles. Over his three seasons in Columbus, Reese accumulated seven sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and 112 tackles. A 2024 CFP national champion, Reese was a consensus All-American, a first-team All-Big Ten selection and the Big Ten's Linebacker of the Year in 2025.
While most of the pre-draft conversation around Reese focused on him playing edge rusher in the NFL, Giants coach John Harbaugh said Thursday night that they plan to play Reese at inside linebacker, the same position he spent most of his time playing at Ohio State.
“Arvell is a versatile player, and we're going to play him at inside backer, Will linebacker,” Harbaugh said. "Our defense is pretty flexible, position-less you might call it. We'll have an opportunity to move those guys around. But he'll line up next to Tremaine, and he'll be in the A gap, the B gap, the C gap, the D gap, off the edge. He'll be moving around with all of our guys. Abdul and Brian and Kayvon and Tremaine.
"We'll be running games and picks and stunts and different things like that on passing situations, and he's good in coverage as well, he's a versatile player. He's a young player. He's gotten better every single year, playing off the ball and on the ball, so he does both. Probably why he was our highest rated non-quarterback player in the draft. He's an exciting player. We are fired up to have him."
That said, Reese believes his best football is still to come in the NFL as he focuses more on developing his pass-rush technique and unlocking his full potential.
“I think at the next level, I'm going to show them,” Reese said. “I think my technique and what I'm doing, I think it's going to be way better than what it was. A lot of the stuff I was doing was just me being able to do it just naturally, God-gifted. But at the next level, it's going to be tightened up and it's going to be elite.”
