Arvell Reese quickly asserted himself early in the season as one of the best linebackers in the country. Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft imminent, he's poised to be one of the highest picks taken in this year's class. Of course, basically everyone expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick, but plenty of mock drafts and big boards have Reese as a potential No. 2. If Reese were to go that high, he would be the fourth Buckeye to go No. 2 overall since 2019 (after Nick Bosa, Chase Young, and C.J. Stroud).

Usually I would use this space to list the player's Pro Day or NFL Combine results, but most Buckeyes opted to avoid the formal workouts this year. Still, Reese did run the 40-yard dash at the Combine, where he posted an impressive 4.46.

Despite being only a junior, there is not much variability on Reese. He is going to be a very high draft pick. Maybe No. 2 overall, maybe a little lower. Even if he slides, he won't fall out of the first round. Nothing is guaranteed in this business, but Reese is almost certainly going to be a top five pick, and he probably be the top linebacker taken in the draft... unless teammate Sonny Styles somehow jumps him. Even if he does slip, he's not falling out of the first round. Reese is a first-round pick, and he's going to be a high one at that.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Arvell Reese NFL draft profile and projection