Titans Draft Watch: OSU LB Arvell Reese Continues Ascent

By BRADEN GALL, college contributor

Each week, 440 Sports’ Braden Gall dives into the most important matchups and developments from the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Titans didn’t trade Jeffery Simmons despite the return for a star defensive tackle being higher than expected. Dallas gave up a first-round pick in 2027 and a second in 2026 for Quinnen Williams, a player who is comparable to Simmons. 

Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, top, sacks Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State's Arvell Reese with a sack against Penn State/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

What is interesting is the 2027 draft class. We’ve mentioned some of the names here throughout the year, but it’s worth reiterating the point: The 2027 draft class is going to be significantly better than the 2026 class.

Wide receiver, pass rusher and quarterback could all be better in two years and the Titans front office should remember this whenever making any decisions around future assets.

Who is in the top tier?

I wrote about Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese in Week Two and again in Week Five, but this will be the boldest statement yet: Reese might be the No. 1 player in the entire draft class. According to James Foster on The Hot Read pod this week, Reese is his No. 1 overall prospect.

Reese had 12 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a sack in the easy win over Penn State last weekend. He’s now leading the Buckeyes' elite defense in tackles (68) and is second in TFL (9.0) and sacks (6.0). The 6-4, 245-pound edge rusher isn’t Myles Garrett or even Abdul Carter from a grade standpoint, but he might be the best pure prospect in the class. 

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Miami’s Rueben Bain, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate round out Foster’s top five currently. The question for Reese is, Can he transition from off-ball to pure pass rusher? Here is how his experience and productivity compare:

The next elite Buckeye WR

Ohio State is churning out elite pass catchers at an extraordinary rate. Jeremiah Smith (Class of ‘27) was getting all of the attention coming into the season, but Carnell Tate is the one eligible for the next draft. Foster has the 6-3, 195-pounder as a top-five prospect overall.

Is he deserving of consideration for the Titans in that range?

Tate is not as highly graded as Marvin Harrison, Garrett Wilson or even teammate Smith. But his ball skills in traffic, straight line speed, route-running polish and massive frame put him in the same range as Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njiba or Emeka Egbuka.

He caught five passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in the win over Penn State and is averaging over 18 yards per catch this season (39 rec., 711 yds, 7 TDs). 

Interior Re-design for Tennessee

Kevin Zeitler isn’t signed past this season and the Titans have an out in Lloyd Cushenberry’s contract. Replacing at least one, if not both, will likely have to happen this off-season. Guards and centers don’t grade out as first-round picks very often, but this class could be stocked with high-quality options at both positions.

Olaivavega Ioane from Penn State is having an excellent season despite his team’s struggles and is a mid-first-round pick. Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon might be a top 20 prospect overall. And Florida center Jake Slaughter had an excellent game against Georgia’s extremely talented defensive front last weekend. Slaughter is more of a day-two selection.

Auburn’s Connor Lew and Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis are both top 50 prospects as well. Bisontis will be leading his undefeated Aggies up against a very good Mizzou defensive line this weekend. This position has some very intriguing mid-round options who could make the Titans' O-Line better should they decide to move on from both Zeitler and Cushenberry.

Pregnon and center Iapani Laloulu - a top 100 prospect in his own right - will lead the Ducks' O-Line against a sturdy Iowa defense this weekend in a big-time Big Ten showdown.

Titans target faces unbeaten test

Should the Titans trade out of the top five next spring, targeting pass rusher David Bailey from Texas Tech might be a smart idea. He’s a mid-first-round talent who has had a great season. He’s a pure rusher and may not be a full-time player. But his upside at a position of desperate need makes him an option for Tennessee. 

Bailey will face undefeated BYU in a top-10 showdown this weekend. The nation’s leading sack master (11.5) played extremely well in a huge moment against Utah a few weeks ago and will be asked to disrupt the Cougars' top top-flight rushing attack. The winner takes first place in the Big 12. 

Which QBs might come back?

The talk of Arch Manning coming back to Texas during the summer seems to be correct. But LaNorris Sellers also appears to be returning next year.

Sellers has watched his draft stock plummet behind a terrible South Carolina offensive line and a transfer might be in order. Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby has elite athleticism but lacks accuracy. His stock has soared this year as the Bearcats' surprising season has unfolded but returning to school is likely a smart decision for him as well.

What will Dante Moore do at Oregon? What about Sam Leavitt at Arizona State? USC’s Jayden Maiava?