Ohio State will only be adding one linebacker in the 2023 class.
But it feels it has a player more than capable of being an impact contributor at the college level in four-star Ohio prospect Arvell Reese.
Reese officially became a Buckeye Wednesday after he signed his National Letter of Intent.
The wait is over, the next great Tarblooder turned Buckeye is here. The kid from Cleveland is heading to Columbus ready to represent his family and the 216. Welcome to The Brotherhood Arvell Reese#CHO23N | @arvxll pic.twitter.com/k5uxtCwqcv
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022
The Reese File
- Class: 2023
- Size: 6-4/212
- Pos: Linebacker
- School: Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
- Star Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #197 (#18 LB)
The recruitment of the 6-foot-4, 212-pound linebacker was a quick one, as Ohio State gave Reese his offer in March after he attended a spring practice. Despite Reese saying he wanted to take his time and commit in November or December, he pulled the trigger early in August because he felt comfortable in Columbus. While he had offers from various other Power Five schools, including Alabama, OSU seemingly led for Reese throughout the entire recruiting process.
“I just felt like it was the right time for me,” Reese told Eleven Warriors in August about 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 built his relationship with Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and senior advisor and analyst Matt Guerrieri over the summer and attended a recruiting camp in Columbus despite already holding an offer because he wanted a chance to participate in drills taught by OSU’s coaching staff.
“Just to get a feel of how the coaches are,” Reese said of why he camped with OSU. “To learn some things from coaches. Coach Knowles has a great legacy. I wanted to pick his mind a little bit.”
But Reese’s commitment wasn't just any commitment. It signaled the start of what could be the reopening of the famous Glenville to Ohio State pipeline. Reese was the first player to commit to OSU since 2017, as Glenville has sent 21 Tarblooders to the Buckeyes from 2002 to 2017. Reese said in June he felt pressure from those close to his circle to become the first Glenville player to commit to the Buckeyes in more than five years.
“There’s definitely a lot of pressure there,” Reese said in June about talking with fellow Glenville players and coaches. “Definitely a lot of guys remind me all the time, ‘Hey, you can go to Ohio State.’”
Reese will now be a peer recruiter to help convince several of his Glenville teammates in the 2024 class to join him at OSU, as five-star cornerback Bryce West and four-star tight end Damarion Witten both hold offers from OSU. West and Reese in particular have talked about teaming up at the next level.
“Me and Bryce, we talk all the time about the opportunities that we’ve got,” Reese said in June. “We definitely will want to team up in college.”
Not only did Reese help restore the Glenville pipeline, but he also led the Cleveland Area school to its first-ever state championship in his senior season and was also named Ohio’s Division IV Defensive Player of the Year. Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Reese is considered the 197th-best player and the 18th-best linebacker in the 2023 class.
Reese is expected to be a summer enrollee and will join OSU for summer workouts in June.
“They see me as an inside linebacker,” Reese said. “Blitzing off the edge on third downs, but being an inside linebacker on first and second down. I like playing all over the place. Coming up to the edge and blitzing and sitting in coverage.”
