The New York Jets pick second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, which gives them a big opportunity to take an impact player. Sure, the franchise would have loved it if Oregon quarterback Dante Moore stayed in this year’s draft, but since he didn’t, they will have to go defense with this pick. And the player who fits best is Ohio State linebacker/edge-rusher Arvell Reese.
It seems like a two-man race for the second selection in this draft, with Reese and Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey the most likely options. While Bailey had more production last season (14.5 sacks, ranked second with 19.5 tackles for a loss), Reese has more versatility, athleticism, and upside, which is why he would be a perfect fit for the Jets.
Arvell Reese can make Jets more multiple on defense
The Jets have clearly signaled their intentions on defense all offseason. They’ve brought in experienced veterans, versatile players, and specialists who suggest Aaron Glenn is going to a multiple-front defense with 3-4 personnel. Not sold on that via the moves alone? Well, Glenn has also said that explicitly.
“We will be a multiple defense,” Glenn said at the Annual League Meeting, via Jets.com. “So, there will be elements of 4-3, there will be elements of 3-4. And I think sometimes it’s overwhelming.”
Being a “multiple defense” means having the ability to line up in different formations, utilizing the same players on the field. No player in the 2026 NFL Draft helps give teams this ability more than Arvell Reese.
Reese started his career at off-ball linebacker, but at 6-foot-4, 241 pounds, he also played edge, racking up 6.5 sacks last season. He did so under the tutelage of Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who learned from one of the forefathers of the 3-4 multiple front defense: Bill Belichick. His ability to line up almost anywhere along the defensive front seven and either rush the passer or fall back to cover or tackle makes Reese an extremely valuable chess piece at the next level.
It’s not totally fair to throw around Micah Parsons comparisons, as the Green Bay Packers defender is among the best overall players in the league when healthy. However, with his blend of skill and athleticism, Reese is the closest thing to Parsons to come out of college since the Cowboys took the Penn State linebacker back in 2021.
The youngster will bring athleticism to the Jets’ D
© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The free agent moves and trades that the Jets made this offseason signal how Glenn wants to play on defense, but also begs the question: Can these players still play that way?
New Jets defenders this offseason include elder statesmen such as DeMario Davis (37), David Onyemata (33), and Minkah Fitzpatrick (29). These are incredibly experienced and decorated players, but at their advanced ages for their positions, it’s fair to question if they are still playmakers.
Bringing in an athlete like Reese in the 2026 NFL Draft will help make up for some of the athletic deficiencies of some of the players on the roster. With 4.46 speed, the former Buckeye can help erase issues that come from having older players on the unit.
With his ability to move and cover ground, the amount of space players like Davis and Onyemata have to account for shrinks, which makes it easier for them to do what they have been so great at for such a long time.
New York can afford to wait on Reese to develop
While the moves the Jets made this offseason point to why Arvell Reese is such a good fit for this team, it also hints at why New York may screw this up and pass on this versatile defensive weapon.
Aaron Glenn is firmly on the hot seat this season. In fact, if not for his massive contract buyout, Woody Johnson probably would have fired him after last season. This means that Glenn is in win-now mode, even though the roster is not ready for that. But signing the defensive veterans above and planning to start 35-year-old Geno Smith at quarterback is a clear sign it’s win or bust for Gang Green in 2026.
This is the biggest reason the Jets may draft Bailey, a player with more college production (albeit mostly in one season with an incredible supporting cast at Texas Tech) who will likely put up more sacks next season than Reese.
However, Reese is one of the youngest players in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is currently just 20 and doesn’t turn 21 until the eve of Week 1. Plus, he’s just scratched the surface of his potential at edge, so it may take a season or two before he becomes a dominant LB/EDGE hybrid.
The Jets are in a perfect position to draft Reese now and wait for him to become an impact player as he gets older. Unfortunately, the decision-makers may not see it that way, which is why New York may pass on this perfect fit in a typically Jets-ian move.
The post 3 reasons Arvell Reese would be perfect Jets fit in 2026 NFL Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.
