Is the NFL LB Prospect Arvell Reese Related To WNBA Star Angel Reese?

Arvell Reese had a very impressive showing at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine yesterday. The Ohio State linebacker clocked an official 4.46-second 40-yard dash, including a sharp 1.58-second 10-yard split. At 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds, those numbers immediately stood out. For a player with his frame, that kind of burst only strengthens the case that he could be one of the top defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Naturally, Reese is already projected as a possible early first-round selection. The B/R NFL Scouting Department has ranked him as the No. 6 overall prospect on its latest big board.

Among pass-rushers, only Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. sits higher. Considering the growing trend of teams drafting rookies with high versatility, Reese’s athletic profile has pushed his stock even further.

So with the spotlight having only grown brighter after the Combine, fans, who just got to know about the Buckeyes star began asking a different question: Is he related to Angel Reese?

The answer is no. Despite sharing the same last name, Arvell Reese is not known to be related to the Chicago Sky forward. In fact, their backgrounds are entirely separate. Arvell is from Cleveland, Ohio, attended Glenville High School, and starred at Ohio State. Angel Reese, meanwhile, is from Randallstown, Maryland.

Moreover, Angel’s immediate family is well documented. The WNBA star was born to Angel Webb Reese and Michael Reese. Her younger brother, Julian Reese, plays basketball at the University of Maryland. Angel herself played at Maryland before transferring to LSU, where she helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023.

Coming back to Arvell Reese, the Ohio State LB remains one of the most intriguing prospects in this class.

For starters, Arvell played primarily as an off-ball linebacker at Ohio State and earned consensus All-American honors in 2025, recording 6.5 sacks during his breakout season. But teams see more.

“Teams have pretty much been asking me what I want to do and see where my mind was at,” Arvell Reese said at the Combine. “I’ve been telling them I think I’m an outside linebacker/edge. I haven’t even scratched the surface with really what I can do pass rushing.”

The LB made that even clearer when describing his mindset: “On the football field, I’m just always thinking to play violent. I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I can do pass-rushing, for real.”

Even Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis has gone on record, praising Reese’s natural instincts and explosiveness. “There’s a very natural feel that he has off the line of scrimmage… His explosiveness is really what separates him,” Laurinaitis said.

Arvell Reese’s combination of freakish size, speed, and versatility has already drawn comparisons to Micah Parsons. The only question now is whether he stays off-ball or transitions fully to the edge at the next level.

As far as Angel Reese is concerned, Arvell isn’t linked to her at any level. But if his combine performance is any indication, he seems to have the potential of carving out a name strong enough to stand on its own.