Nfl Combine: Ohio State duo headline eye-catching first day in Indianapolis
The Nfl Combine opened in Indianapolis with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and edge rusher Arvell Reese turning heads on the first day of on-field work, a key moment for prospects hoping to move up draft boards.
Ohio State duo tie for fastest 40-yard dash
Styles and Arvell Reese finished the day tied for the fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers, edge rushers and defensive linemen with official times of 4. 46 seconds, and observers also noted unofficial 4. 47-second runs earlier in the session. Styles paired that speed with top marks in the vertical jump and broad jump, while Reese’s performance drew mock-draft attention that placed him as high as No. 4 overall in at least one projection.
Nfl Combine schedule and coverage
The on-field portion of the event takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. One published schedule lists the overall event from Feb. 23 through March 2 with on-field workouts from Feb. 26 through March 1; another listing sets the combine window as Feb. 26 to March 1, with live coverage beginning 3 p. m. ET Thursday, Feb. 26 and concluding 5 p. m. ET Sunday, March 1. Position-day windows include defensive linemen, linebackers and special teams at 3 p. m. ET Thursday; defensive backs and tight ends at 3 p. m. ET Friday; quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs at 1 p. m. ET Saturday; and offensive linemen at 1 p. m. ET Sunday. Broadcast and streaming plans name NFL Network and NFL+ as the outlets carrying drills and press conferences.
Standouts beyond Ohio State
Other Thursday standouts included Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Texas Tech edge David Bailey, UCF edge Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton. Observers singled out Bailey for an especially strong look, while Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. recorded an arm length of 30 and 7/8 inches and said clubs did not seem overly focused on that measurement during evaluations.
Experts, prospects and numbers to watch
More than 300 prospects are on hand in Indianapolis; organizers invited a total of 319 prospects to this year’s event. Draft analysts and reporters on site — including Mike Tannenbaum, Dan Graziano, Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates — flagged several players to watch. Reid highlighted Styles at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, projecting a mid-to-high 4. 5 range in the 40, a vertical exceeding 40 inches and an 11-foot broad jump as possibilities that could cement a top-10 grade. Matt Miller pointed to Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq (listed at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds) with expectations of a vertical north of 41 inches and a low-4. 5 40-yard dash, work that could move him into the Round 1 conversation. Mel Kiper Jr. emphasized tackle Kadyn Proctor of Alabama at 6-foot-7 and 366 pounds, noting in-game examples of athleticism—an 11-yard screen reception against Georgia and a drive for a first down against Missouri—that could translate to strong combine testing. Field Yates named Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) among the top O-line athletes expected in Indianapolis.
Player notes, medicals and roster implications
Several individual storyline items carried through the morning: Fernando Mendoza has opted not to throw at the combine, a development discussed by Mike Tannenbaum and Dan Graziano; defensive back Jermod McCoy was listed as skipping on-field drills in Indianapolis; and analysts asked which position Arvell Reese envisions at the next level, a question Reese addressed on site. Observers also noted a social-media moment when Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton called out a side-by-side TV presentation that compared his draft profile with Sonny Styles, tweeting, "I just got brutally framemogged. "
What’s next
On-field drills continue through Sunday with tight ends and defensive backs scheduled Friday at 3 p. m. ET, quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs at 1 p. m. ET Saturday, and offensive linemen at 1 p. m. ET Sunday. Teams will follow those workouts with interviews, measurements and medical examinations across the week at Lucas Oil Stadium, the longtime home of the combine since 1987.
