With the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Ohio State edge defender Arvell Reese.
Height: 6'4 1/8"
Weight: 241 lbs
Arm: 32 1/2"
Hand: 9 1/2"
40-Yard Dash: 4.46 Seconds (T-fastest among DL/LB)
10-Yard Split: 1.58 Seconds
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Honors & Awards
2025: Consensus All-American (Associated Press, AFCA and Walter Camp), Big Ten Conference Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year, Academic all-Big Ten
2024: OSU Scholar-Athlete, Academic All-Big Ten
2023: OSU Scholar-Athlete
View photos of fifth overall pick Arvell Reese, linebacker out of Ohio State.
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (8) looks on during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State's Arvell Reese sacks Wisconsin's Hunter Simmons during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese drops back to defend against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) goes down with Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (8) above during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State's Arvell Reese stops Wisconsin's Lance Mason after a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, left, celebrates his sack against Penn State with teammate defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, top, sacks Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Penn State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Washington running back Jonah Coleman (1) is tackled by Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry (92) and Arvell Reese (8) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Grambling State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Minnesota during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese plays against Grambling State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) gets ready to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (20) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State Overview
- Exploded onto the national scene as a true junior in 2025
- He capped a three-year career with Ohio State in 2025 by being named a consensus All-American with first-team honors by the Associated Press, Football Coaches Association of America and Walter Camp
- Also named the Big Ten Conference's Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and a first-team all-Big Ten selection
- Totalled 69 tackles during an exceptional 2025 season with 10.0 tackles for losses totalling 45 yards, 6.5 quarterback sacks, five quarterback hurries and two pass break-ups
- Recorded a career-best 12 tackles vs. Penn State and had nine vs. both Texas and Illinois
- Closed his three-year career with 112 tackles, 13.5 TFLs for losses totalling 57 yards. 7.0 QB sacks and seven QB hurries
- Played in 38 games and started 14 times
- Had a fine sophomore campaign in 2024 when he played in all 16 games for the CFP national champions and totaled 322 snaps on defense and 512 snaps overall
- Recorded 43 total tackles in 2024, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss plus had two quarterback hurries
- He played in eight games in 2023 as a freshman with all 58 of his plays coming on special teams
- He is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who is majoring in human development and family science
More on Arvell
- Arvell was a part of the 2023 Ohio State recruiting class
- He enrolled in classes at Ohio State in June of 2023
- Was the fifth-ranked player in Ohio by the 247Sports composite and No. 19 linebacker nationally as a senior in 2022
- Named the Division IV Defensive Player of the Year by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
- Led Cleveland Glenville to its first state title in 2022; the first title by a school in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
- Had an interception in the state championship game vs. Wyoming
- Selected to play in the Army All-American Bowl
- Named a finalist for the 2022 High School Butkus Award, given to the nation's top high school linebacker
- First-team All-Ohio by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
- Was the catalyst of a defense that did not give up a point in six league games
- Parents are Maeko Walker and Alex Reese
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his ranking of the top 150 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
No. 149 Michael Heldman, Edge, Central Michigan
No. 130 Bishop Fitzgerald, S USC
No. 118 Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor
