AKRON – When Glenville linebacker Arvell Reese ended his recruitment on Aug. 6 and became the 20th commitment in Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, it caught a lot of people off guard.
Including his own high school teammate, Bryce West.
West, a four-star cornerback in the 2024 class and one of Ohio State’s top targets in that cycle, said he learned of Reese’s commitment at the same time everyone else did after he checked Twitter on that Saturday evening.
“I was actually excited,” West said of Reese’s commitment. “Low key, it surprised me. Because one day, we were out practicing. The next, I saw he committed to Ohio State. He didn’t tell me he was about to commit, he just surprised me out of nowhere. But I’m really proud of him. He deserves it, because he’s been working for it all year.”
Reese had been adamant for months that he wasn’t going to decide on his collegiate future until November or December at the earliest, mostly because he was a late riser in the recruiting scene and wanted to take all of his official visits. But the 6-foot-4, 212-pound linebacker decided he didn’t need to wait that long after all. Five months after he received his OSU offer in March, Reese became the Buckeyes’ first linebacker commitment in 2023.
“I just felt like it was the right time for me,” Reese told Eleven Warriors Thursday of why he committed ahead of his timetable. “I feel like I knew what I wanted to do already … It was the best decision for me, my mom, my dad. It truly was just the best school for me.”
Reese said he talks with an Ohio State coach every day, rotating between Ryan Day, Jim Knowles and OSU senior advisor and analyst Matt Guerrieri. When he attended an OSU recruiting camp in June, Reese admitted to feeling a bit of exterior pressure to help restore the storied Glenville to Ohio State pipeline the Buckeyes had thrived on for 15 years with 21 Tarblooders playing for OSU from 2002 to 2017.
Reese knew all too well he was going to be the first Tarblooder to commit to Ohio State in more than five years. So, is the Glenville pipeline to Ohio State restored?
“Yes sir,” Reese said with a smile.
On Thursday evening, Reese made his Glenville debut after transferring from Euclid High School as the Tarblooders opened their season on the road against St. Vincent-St. Mary. It was only his sixth-ever start at linebacker in high school, though you wouldn’t know it from his performance Thursday evening. Reese, West and the rest of the Glenville defense shut out St. Vincent-St. Mary, winning their opener 25-0 after only allowing 73 yards of total offense.
“It was good, I read my keys and I keep learning how to play linebacker,” Reese said after Glenville’s win. “It’s coming easy with (the Glenville coaches) helping me. Just reading my keys, it’s become easy.”
Perhaps no play was more evident that Reese has settled into the linebacker position and has the awareness to thrive at the next level than on St. Vincent-St. Mary’s second drive. On third-and-long, Reese approached the line of scrimmage showing blitz, but then dropped into coverage. In a split second, St. Vincent-St. Mary attempted to set up a halfback screen. As the ball barely touched his hands, the running back must have felt like he got hit like a truck, as Reese scampered downfield to disrupt the play after reading his key to perfection.
Arvell Reese reads a screen perfectly on third down and disrupts the play. pic.twitter.com/QPpy0HGClL
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) August 18, 2022
“I read the screen, I watched it on film so I knew they were going to do it,” Reese said. “I think I could have picked it, though.”
Those are the types of hits and plays Glenville expects Reese to make all season, as the Tarblooders have state championship aspirations. Reese once again showed his hitting prowess by stopping a quarterback run on third down in the third quarter and also (accidentally) took out a ref in the process. If you needed any indication of what being brought down by Reese felt like, the official remained on the ground for a few minutes, but fortunately got up on his own and resumed officiating.
Arvell Reese lays a big hit on the quarterback on an QB keeper (and also unfortunately accidentally takes out a ref, but he was fine!) pic.twitter.com/2uiEBp6kID
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) August 19, 2022
“He’s already a big playmaker,” West said of Reese. “We know that already. I think he can do the same thing for Ohio State at the next level. I’m praying that he comes in as a freshman and starts. I know he can make plays, he’s a tall, lengthy, aggressive kid that fits that linebacker build.”
With Reese in the fold for Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, the Buckeyes would love for West to follow suit soon and pledge to Ohio State. Though both Reese and West have said openly they’d love to play together at the next level, Reese said he’s not going to put any pressure on West to join him or rush a decision.
“Nah, there ain’t no rush,” Reese said of West’s recruitment. “Bryce is going to do what he’s going to do. He’ll take his time, there’s no rush.”
With Reese’s recruitment behind him, he’s locked into making his senior season a special one for Glenville. He has his next visit to Ohio State planned out, though.
“I’m going to the first game of the fall against Notre Dame,” Reese said. “It’s going to be fun and it’s going to be loud for sure.”
