Emmanuel Acho Calls Arvell Reese the Biggest Bust Prospect of the First Round

It’s quite surprising how one clip from Arvell Reese’s Pro Day, specifically a bag drill, has snowballed into a full-blown narrative. In fact, analysts like Emmanuel Acho are now labeling him a high-risk, high-reward prospect.

Reese did look a step slow and struggled to bend around the bags during Ohio State’s Pro Day, and when you stack that up against Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., the difference is clear as day. Bain Jr. pops off the screen and that naturally raises the question of whether Reese can handle that hybrid role people are projecting for him at the next level.

Reese is expected to go in the top three. At 6 ft 4+1⁄8 in with a 4.46 in the 40, the straight-line speed is there and there’s no doubt he has the physical tools to be a difference-maker. But playing on the edge is a different ball game. It’s not just about speed, it’s about bend, footwork, and change of direction, and that didn’t really show up in the drill. Acho touched on all of this recently.

During an episode of the Speakeasy podcast, Acho first pointed out that Ohio State probably shouldn’t have put Reese’s clip out in the first place, because it’s only added fuel to the fire. He then broke down the concerns from the drill and explained why Reese might be better suited playing off-the-ball linebacker in the NFL.

“Realistically speaking, social media team, you can’t post that… Number two, I won’t look at a drill and be like, ‘Oh, this guy can ball because of the drill.’ But I will look at a drill and be like, ‘Uh oh, I got concerns,” Acho began, adding,

“Arvell Reese isn’t a natural edge rusher. There are some individuals that are natural pass rushers. DeMarcus Ware. Jared Allen. Dwight Freeney. Von Miller. Natural pass rushers… Arvell Reese is not a natural by any stretch of the imagination.”

By nature, Acho says some players have instincts to make plays in a split second without even thinking, which he unfortunately doesn’t see in Reese.

“Some dudes, it’s just like combat. They see an offensive lineman shoot their elbows, without even thinking, they do a two-hand swipe. They see an offensive lineman trying to quick-set him, without even thinking, they just dip and rip. Some people, it’s just like watching a black belt… That is not Arvell Reese,” Acho noted, adding,

“I don’t love Arvell Reese playing on the edge. Every down. I like Arvell Reese playing off-ball, but the problem with off-ball is that you have to have real instincts to play off-ball linebacker. You can’t be big and fast and play off-ball linebacker. I like Arvell Reese in third downs, in stunts, in games, in movements, with tackles and hands.”

Acho concluded his take saying, “Arvell Reese is probably the highest ceiling, highest bust prospect that will go in the first round.”

That said, while some like Acho have their concerns, Reese’s Pro Day performance has largely been viewed as a success. He’s still projected to go in the top three. However, it will be interesting to see if any of the concerns that surfaced actually show up at the NFL level.