What pre-draft scouting reports said about New York Giants LB Arvell Reese

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Here's a look back at what the pre-draft scouting reports had to say about Reese.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

From Dane Brugler:

A starter for one-and-a-half years at Ohio State, Reese was a hybrid outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s multiple fronts. After spending time at edge defender and Mike linebacker as an underclassman, he became a joker defender in Patricia’s scheme in 2025. That role primarily asked him to be stacked, with some reps walked out and some on the edge. Box-score scouts will be unimpressed by his production, but his stats don’t accurately reflect his on-field impact, because he was primarily used as a spy and read player. Reese emerged as the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and became the first consensus All-America linebacker at Ohio State since James Laurinaitis (Reese’s position coach for the Buckeyes).

An impressive height/weight/speed athlete, Reese — who is also one of the youngest prospects in the draft class — was asked to play a blend of multiple positions, which showcased his vast tools for NFL scouts. He is explosive from his spot and has exceptional closing burst to cover ground in a blink. He can create short corners as a rusher, but will need time to become more of a pass-rush technician, in terms of setting up and sequencing different moves. He uses his length to anchor as an edge setter and skillfully deconstructs blocks with elusive movements or violent, well-timed hands.

Lance Zierlein, NFL Network

From Lance Zierlein:

At 20 years old, Reese is still growing into his frame and his game, but learning from James Laurinaitis (linebackers coach) and Matt Patricia (defensive coordinator) should give him a head start in acclimating to the pro game. He plays off-ball linebacker and stand-up edge with the talent to post impact production from either spot. His third-down versatility adds alignment variety and helps camouflage defensive intent. His run diagnosis and angles of attack are average, but he flows quickly once he triggers, using assertive hands to stack and play off blocks. He’s fast in pursuit and his tackle finishing could become elite. His rush is kinetic and tough for tackles to mirror. It’s under construction, but Reese has already sprouted go-to moves and rush plans that need more refinement. He might need some runway to hit his stride, but his rare blend of traits, explosiveness and versatility could become a perfect storm of chaos once a defense decides how to deploy him.

Todd McShay, The Ringer

From Todd McShay:

Reese was a true junior last season, his first year as a full-time starter at Ohio State. He’s lean, and his arm length is a red flag for an edge, but his 40 time was outstanding. He has explosive power rushing the passer. He shoots his hands, lifts offensive tackles, and gets off blocks at the top of his rush. He overpowers running backs. He wins with speed off the edge and can get to the quarterback when he rushes from deep.

Reese has a high ceiling and exhibited signs of development on tape. For example, he set up an outside rip move with an inside jab step in a play against Penn State last season. But he’s not a polished hand-fighter, and at this stage of his development, he doesn’t have a great feel for how to set up his moves, consistently sync his hands with his feet, and counter well.

He matches up well with running backs and can run with tight ends in coverage. He gets good depth and breaks on the ball well when he drops to hook in zone looks. His instincts in zone are average, and his lack of length shows up in coverage at times. He’s a sideline-to-sideline run defender as an off-ball linebacker. He shows good pop stacking and shedding blocks between the tackles, beats blockers to the point of attack, and fills gaps.

He can slip blocks in tight spaces and closes well chasing from the backside. Sometimes he buries himself in blocks and loses outside contact as an edge run defender. NFL offensive tackles will be tougher to anchor against unless he gets bigger and stronger.

NFL Draft Buzz

From NFL Draft Buzz:

Reese is a heat-seeking missile against the run with the kind of closing speed that makes offensive coordinators cringe when they see him flying toward their running back. The question for NFL teams is simple: where does he fit? He played roughly half his snaps as an edge rusher in 2025 and the other half in the box. Both produced decent numbers. His best football probably comes as a weak-side linebacker in a scheme that turns him loose to attack gaps, chase plays sideline to sideline, and get after the quarterback on third down. When he can see it and go, he is a nightmare.

Teams looking at Reese as a full-time edge rusher need to pump the brakes. His pass rush production comes from athleticism, not instinct. He does not yet have the feel for timing, the ability to set up blockers, or the refined technique to win consistently against NFL tackles. That does not mean the upside is capped, but it does mean he is not a day-one starter on the edge. He needs time to develop a true pass rush toolkit before any team can count on him in that role every snap. The coverage concerns are also legitimate. Zone assignments suit him better than man duties against quick slot players or athletic tight ends. His short-area change of direction cannot match his straight-line burst, so asking him to mirror routes all game is setting him up for frustration.

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN

From Mel Kiper Jr:

This is a complete football player. Reese jumps off the Ohio State tape, playing the game like a veteran. I see natural instincts at the linebacker position that allow him to make plays most guys just can't make, and he has the burst to get home when turned loose as a pass rusher. Reese has been a big riser in this class and brings a ton of potential to the table.

Pro Football & Sports Network

From PFSN:

Arvell Reese was a one-year starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes, who could end up riding that single season to single-digit NFL Draft capital. He was one of the Buckeyes' most dynamic defenders, particularly early in the season, and ended up earning 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and consensus All-American honors. At 6'4", 243 pounds, Reese has a tantalizing blend of explosive athleticism, length, and forklifting strength.

He used that strength consistently to stack-and-shed in the run game, plaster solo blockers into the turf as a blitzer, and make solo stops in gap invasion. Meanwhile, his range and fluidity make him dangerous as a rusher, and his lean, platinum-forged length and frame grants him awe-inspiring power capacity on long-arms and bull-rushes, when utilized with his elite explosive edge. The questions with Reese's profile stem from his ultimate projection.

His power and physicality are overwhelming as a SAM linebacker, as is his range and corrective twitch in pursuit, but he can get lost by misdirections, and he's not overly fluid in coverage. Meanwhile, as an EDGE convert, Reese's traits are in the 99th percentile, but he's relatively raw as a pass-rush operator. Right now, Reese is a complex "tweener" prospect, but his raw athletic upside and power grants him true X-factor potential.

Charlie Campbell, Walter Football

From Charlie Campbell:

The NFL is a passing-driven league, so for a linebacker to get selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, they must be an asset in defending aerial offenses. Reese is definitely that, and he is a versatile chess piece that can be used in a variety of ways. Reese reads plays quickly and covers a lot of ground in zone. His height and length make him valuable to interrupt passing lanes, and he projects to be an asset to defending receiving tight ends. With his length and quickness, Reese can run down the middle seam and functions well as a Tampa 2 coverage linebacker. On dump-off passes to the flat, Reese is quick enough to get to the ball carrier and is good at making tackles in space. His size and athleticism allow him to have the potential to play some man coverage on tight ends and backs out of the backfield. Reese can be a middle linebacker who covers the seam well with his size, speed, and athleticism.

Along with being able to cover, Reese is a dangerous speed rusher off the edge. He is fast and explosive to get upfield to run around offensive tackles. Reese is agile and athletic to dip underneath blockers with the ability to sink his hips to get pointed to the quarterback. Reese could be utilized as a subpackage edge rusher, along with being a pass coverage linebacker.

In run defense, Reese is big and physical in the tackle box. He reads his keys quickly and is quick to read his keys to get in position to make tackles. Reese is strong to take on and shed blocks with a quick burst to fire to the ball carrier. With his strength and physical attitude, Reese will hit hard and put ball carriers into the turf with physicality. Reese is fast, big, and strong. He should be a three-down linebacker in the NFL.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: What pre-draft scouting reports said about New York Giants LB Arvell Reese