The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t drafted a linebacker in the first round in nearly a generation—is it time that second-year general manager John Spytek ends the drought?
In case you’re wondering, the Raiders have long neglected multiple positions when it comes to drafting such talent in the first round. The obvious one, of course, is selecting a quarterback. JaMarcus Russell scared the Silver and Black so much afterward that the team’s never even sniffed a signal-caller again. At least not on Day 1. The same could be said about picking up a linebacker.
Khalil Mack, once one of the most beloved players in the organization’s history, was the fifth overall pick by then-general manager Reggie McKenzie. However, you can make the argument he was more of a hybrid player—not a true linebacker. If that’s the case, the last linebacker taken in the first by the Raiders was Alabama’s Rolando McClain. Needless to say, he was a bust and since then, the Raiders have refused to invest in the position.
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Similar to the situation at quarterback, the Raiders’ linebacker corps has been depleted of genuine talent due to band-aids and unsuccessful projects. Perhaps, it’s time Spytek moves to land a defensive leader and one that’ll change the makeup of the team as Mack once did.
Round 1: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
To truly modernize their defense, the Raiders will ultimately have to bring in players capable of compensating for any schematic shortcomings with sheer physicality, speed, and aggression. Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese embodies that description, and he does so with a grace that almost seems unfair. At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, he carries his frame like a player who has already outgrown college football. There is no bad weight, no stiffness, and no hesitation. Just length, force, and intent.
Reese’s instincts jump off the film, diagnosing runs early and arriving at landmarks without wasted movement, while his long arms expand his tackling radius and give him the leverage to stonewall and shed climbing linemen with rare, Sunday-level strength.
His versatility only elevates his value for Las Vegas: he has played on the edge as a stand-up outside linebacker, set the edge against tackles and pullers, and shown pursuit speed that covers the entire field. Add in his short-area agility, reliable tackling form, and consistent ability to finish plays, and Reese profiles as the kind of multipositional, high-impact defender the Raiders have lacked for years.
Reese’s third-down value is where his game spikes, as he blitzes with force, overwhelms running backs, executes coffee-house stunts with timing, and closes on quarterbacks with a burst that borders on positional-agnostic, creating constant stress.
Why should the Raiders draft Reese?
His development under Matt Patricia adds further credibility, giving him experience in an NFL-caliber defensive system built on discipline and physicality, and his scouting profile places him alongside players like Micah Parsons, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Nakobe Dean—a projection supported not by hype, but by the tape.
For a Raiders defense in dire need of a spark in the front seven, Reese is a perfect fit. He brings size, a physical playing style, impressive movement, the ability to adapt to different schemes, and a track record of success. If Las Vegas is looking to establish a defensive identity, this is the kind of player who can help them get there.
*Top Photo: Getty Images