2026 Draft: Linebacker

[manxman2601]

Jaishawn Barham at Michigan is moving to full time EDGE.

 

[manxman2601]

Scouting report on Arvell Reese

 

[dliverey44]

Sorry if I missed it, but has York from Texas A&M been discussed?

I have been watching off ball LBs recently and this dude is very impressive. He is a tackling machine and has side line to sideline ability, but coverage ability is a question because he does not mirror RBs very well in the open field.

He is becoming a favorite of mine

 

[manxman2601]

Sorry if I missed it, but has York from Texas A&M been discussed?

I have been watching off ball LBs recently and this dude is very impressive. He is a tackling machine and has side line to sideline ability, but coverage ability is a question because he does not mirror RBs very well in the open field.

He is becoming a favorite of mine

I mentioned him briefly. I'm looking forward to getting a look at him. He's a little undersized at only 6' but is supposed to be a tackling monster.

 

[Clonamery]

I mentioned him briefly. I'm looking forward to getting a look at him. He's a little undersized at only 6' but is supposed to be a tackling monster.

Good in coverage, too.

 

[dliverey44]

Good in coverage, too.

When I watched some tape from last year, I felt the opposite that his coverage ability was average. His hips are fluid but change of direction in coverage lacks explosiveness from what I saw.

 

[dliverey44]

I came across this and I respect this dudes opinion alot but I cannot agree that he is LB 1

 

[manxman2601]

Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, 6-1, 235lbs

I watched the Texas Tech v Utah game last weekend and Rodriguez stood out as by far the best player on the field. He had 7 solo tackles, 5 assists, I forced fumble, 1 pressure and an INT.

He is the epitome of a Vrabel guy. Team captain, he's married (to a Blackhawk pilot no less) so settled, 110% effort and always around the ball leading by example.

There are some knocks however. His career missed tackle rate of 15% is higher than I would like and he's not the most athletic although, in his defence, in his last three years his coverage grades are 76,76 and 85.

Rodriguez is basically Robert Spillane with some ability in coverage. He's the guy you draft on day three, slots in immediately as a key special teamer, stands out in pre-season games and that coaches love. He's the day three guy who could potentially work his way up to being a starter owing to his smarts and effort.

The NFL Stock Exchange guys covered him as a stock up prospect. Here's some Connor Rogers quotes from the segment.

"It truly felt like he knew every play"

"He is reading the flow of the run almost every single play you watch the guy" (Rodriguez has a 96.0 run defence grade this year)

"His instincts are as good as I've seen this year from anyone"

"He's one of the smartest players I've watched this entire year"

 

[manxman2601]

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[manxman2601]

I've been thinking about how Arvell Reese could work on this team and having watched the Steelers pass rush against Minnesota today, I've come up with a plan.

Play a 1 gap 3-4 base or 3-3-5 base.

Williams - Tonga - Barmore as DL (with White as DE backup)

Either

Reese - Spillane - Gibbins - Landry as linebackers in 3-4

Or

Reese as SLB, Spillane as MLB and Gibbins as WLB I 3-3-5

And have Reese and Landry rush from wide 9 in pass rush downs.

I don't think it's how Vrabel/Williams want to play but I think it would fit Reese's game really well.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like a 4-2-5 with Spillane and Reese. Move Reese all over: QB spy, drop into coverage, wide 9, attack the gaps.

 

[manxman2601]

Dane Brugler says don't be surprised if Arvell Reese goes before Caleb Downs and be a top 15 prospect.

 

[Clonamery]

Dane Brugler says don't be surprised if Arvell Reese goes before Caleb Downs and be a top 15 prospect.

PFN moved him up to 17.

 

[mayoclinic]

Dane Brugler says don't be surprised if Arvell Reese goes before Caleb Downs and be a top 15 prospect.

It wouldn't surprise me. My only hope is that LBs tend to be undervalued. I thought Jalon Walker would be a top 10 pick last year, and he slipped to 15.

Reese will probably be my #1 for the Pats between now and the draft. I think he would do more to push the defense to the next level than anyone else.

My board right now is roughly:

1. Arvell Reese
2a. Rueben Bain
2b. Keldric Faulk
4. Caleb Downs
5. Peter Woods
6. Spencer Fanu
7. Jordyn Tyson
8. Francis Mauigoa
9. Jermod McCoy
10. Sadiq Charles
11. Mansoor Delane
12. Sonny Styles
13. Dillon Thieneman
14. Chris Bell
15. Makai Lemon
16. Conner Lew
17. Isaiah World
18. Anthony Hill

Arvell Reese and Chris Bell is my dream 1-2.

 

[manxman2601]

It wouldn't surprise me. My only hope is that LBs tend to be undervalued. I thought Jalon Walker would be a top 10 pick last year, and he slipped to 15.

Reese will probably be my #1 for the Pats between now and the draft. I think he would do more to push the defense to the next level than anyone else.

My board right now is roughly:

1. Arvell Reese
2a. Rueben Bain
2b. Keldric Faulk
4. Caleb Downs
5. Peter Woods
6. Spencer Fanu
7. Jordyn Tyson
8. Francis Mauigoa
9. Jermod McCoy
10. Sadiq Charles
11. Mansoor Delane
12. Sonny Styles
13. Dillon Thieneman
14. Chris Bell
15. Makai Lemon
16. Conner Lew
17. Isaiah World
18. Anthony Hill

Arvell Reese and Chris Bell is my dream 1-2.

It's a good list though I can't put a linebacker ahead of Rueben Bain personally. Are you completely out on TJ Parker?

 

[mayoclinic]

No. Waiting to see more.

I think Reese would have a bigger impact on the Pats' D than Bain.

 

[mayoclinic]

Top-20 pick LBs taken this century (not including those who were mainly pass rushers):

2000 LaVar Arrington (2), Brian Urlacher (9)
2001 Dan Morgan (11)
2002 None (Napoleon Harris went 23)
2003 Calvin Pace (18)
2004 Jonathan Vilma (12)
2005 Thomas Davis (14), Derrick Johnson (15)
2006 AJ Hawk (5), Ernie Sims (9), Chad Greenway (17), Bobby Carpenter (18)
2007 Patrick Willis (11), Lawrence Timmons (15)
2008 Keith Rivers (9), Jerod Mayo (10)
2009 Aaron Curry (4), Brian Cushing (15)
2010 Rolando McLain (8), Sean Witherspoon (19)
2011 None (Von Miller went 2, but as a pure pass rusher)
2012 Luke Kuechly (9), Melvin Ingram (18)
2013 Jarvis Jones (17)
2014 Anthony Barr (9), Ryan Shazier (14), CJ Mosley (17)
2015 None (Bud Dupree went 22, Shaq Thompson 25)
2016 Leonard Floyd (9), Darren Lee (20)
2017 Haason Reddick (13)
2018 Tremaine Edmunds (16), Leighton Van Der Esch (19)
2019 Devin White (5), Devin Bush (10)
2020 Isaiah Simmons (8)
2021 Micah Parsons (12), Zaven Collins (16), Jamin Davis (19)
2022 None (Quay Walker went 22)
2023 Jack Campbell (18) (Will Anderson went 3, but as a pass rusher)
2025 Jalon Walker (15)

I think Reese will be a top 20 pick. Not sure about top 10, though I think he merits it based on talent.

 

[Clonamery]

2012 - Hightower 25th

 

[mayoclinic]

I kept list to top-20 picks