Arvell Reese's full NFL Combine showing checked every box for Jets

The New York Jets were watching the edge rushers and linebackers at the 2026 NFL Combine with a great deal of interest, especially as it pertained to the Ohio State duo of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. Luckily, both of them seemed to crush it at a level we have rarely seen before.

Reese not only checked all the physical boxes, but he also ran a blazing 40-yard dash of 4.46 seconds. This tied him with Styles for the fastest such time of any player who tested on Thursday, which confirms his status as a freak athlete who is going to be a problem the second he steps on an NFL field.

When looking at his numbers from a broader perspective, the Jets may have a very hard time turning him down when he is there at No. 2 overall. Reese made himself a ton of money in Indianapolis with his overall strong performance.

Arvell Reese 2026 NFL Combine performance

Both Reese and teammate Sonny Styles were the biggest winners of Thursday night. Not only did Reese cement himself as someone who is going in the top five picks, but Styles putting up almost identical numbers to Reese at 6-5 and 244 pounds cemented his top-five status as well.

On one hand, the Jets are in a very difficult situation. While picking No. 2 overall usually means the team making the selection is either taking the second-best quarterback or best non-quarterback in the class, there are five or six different players the Jets could possibly use this pick on.

On the other hand, the Jets have tons of options, which enhances the chance they could select a blue-chip foundational piece. Of all the players who could end up being chosen with this pick, Reese appears to be the one with the highest ceiling and the appropriate positional value.

The positional fit questions have not gone away, but Reese himself seems to think that he will primarily be a pass rusher in the NFL, who will occasionally drop back into coverage. After the year he had at Ohio State, the Jets may be foolish to pass up on him.

If Reese manages to charm the Jets in the pre-draft process, it seems more likely than not that he will be coming to New York and instantly make himself the centerpiece of Aaron Glenn's renaissance on the defensive side of the ball.