Cody Simon Knows Buckeye Defense In Good Hands With Arvell Reese

INDIANAPOLIS — There’s a football cliche that successful programs like to use, which is that they “don’t rebuild, they reload.”

Such an existence requires consistency, in both recruiting and development. It also requires that certain players stick around long enough to actually make a positive impact.

Ohio State’s ability to reload is going to be put to a very stiff test this year as they lose eight starters on each side of the ball following their national title win in 2024.

There are currently 15 Buckeyes at the 2025 NFL Combine preparing for the next step in their respective careers, which means there are more than 15 Buckeyes on the 2025 team fighting to keep this year’s team from taking any kind of a step back.

One of those players is junior middle linebacker Arvell Reese. He came on in a big way as a sophomore last year, working into the rotation and finishing the season with 43 tackles and 3.5 tackles.

One of the players with the best vantage point of Reese’s play last year was the guy ahead of him on the depth chart. Cody Simon is now preparing for the NFL Draft, but as OSU’s starting middle linebacker last year, he was a first-hand witness to Reese’s development in his first full year as a linebacker last year.

“I think Arvell Reese is gonna have a great year,” Simon said on Wednesday during a media session at the NFL Combine. “He’s putting in the work. He’s a physical specimen. You guys will see that next year. I mean, he can close space like nobody I’ve ever seen before.”

Reese (6-4 238) was recruited to be a linebacker, provided he didn’t get too big to play the position. Because of need in 2023 as a true freshman, he was pretty quickly moved to defensive end, then suffered an injury to derail his potential progress. He was back at linebacker full time in the spring of his sophomore season.

Reese battled with redshirt sophomore Gabe Powers to back up Cody Simon. He eventually won the job and then did much more than that. He was called upon throughout the season as the Buckeyes’ third linebacker, which is what Simon had done the previous two seasons.

Asked if he was surprised by Reese, Simon admitted he was caught off guard. At least a little.

“He was a huge surprise,” Simon said. “I mean, not a huge surprise — I knew he was a good player, but the leap he made in the preseason to the season, I think it surprised a lot of people. I just know he has a lot more to go. He’s going to have a huge role on that team and I think you guys will all be surprised at how good he plays.”

Simon was the middle linebacker for the Buckeyes last year, just as Tommy Eichenberg was before him. It is always one of the most important positions on the team, and it was a role that Simon didn’t take for granted. That’s why it was also important for him to do what he could to help make sure Arvell Reese will be ready to handle the reins this year.

“Yeah, I think it’s huge,” Simon said. “Especially because last year, Tommy left it with me and I took that honor super seriously, and I know Arvell does too. I know that linebacker room is going to be one of the more experienced groups on the team now. So they have to be able to step up and really lead the defense and the team. I have ultimate trust in those guys.”

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