Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese Tie for Fastest 40 at Combine in Indianapolis
sonny styles and teammate Arvell Reese posted official 4. 46-second 40-yard dash times Thursday at the 2026 NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, a showing that underlined their physical cases as the event runs through March 2. Styles also finished near the top in the vertical jump and broad jump during a day of on-field drills for defensive linemen, linebackers and kickers.
Sonny Styles sets the pace in Indy
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles registered an official 4. 46-second 40-yard dash and placed near the top of the field in both the vertical jump and the broad jump. Draft-week analysis had listed Styles at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, with expectations for a mid-to-high 4. 5-second 40, a vertical exceeding 40 inches and an 11-foot broad jump; he has been viewed as a potential top-10 pick and was expected to make an impression in both testing and on-field drills. Styles recorded an unofficial 4. 47 in an earlier second attempt before the official 4. 46 time was posted.
Arvell Reese matches him on speed
Edge rusher Arvell Reese, also from Ohio State, matched Styles with an official 4. 46-second 40-yard dash for the fastest time of the day among linebackers, edge rushers and defensive linemen. Reese posted an unofficial 4. 47 in an earlier attempt as well. One mock draft listed Reese at No. 4 overall, and his showing in the 40 is a concrete boost to that draft positioning.
Other defensive standouts and the testing schedule
Thursday’s head-turning day also featured defensive performances from Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Texas Tech edge David Bailey, UCF edge Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton. More than 300 prospects have converged on Indianapolis for the combine, where they will receive official measurements, undergo medical evaluations, interview with teams and work out in front of scouts, coaches and front office executives. The overall event runs Feb. 23 through March 2, with on-field workouts scheduled Feb. 26 through March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Daily windows and what’s next on the field
On-field drills began Thursday. The detailed daily windows for the next sessions are: 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. Earlier Thursday blocks included defensive linemen, linebackers and special teams at 3 p. m. ET. The combine’s TV coverage includes a national broadcast channel listed for the event.
Media moments, analyst expectations and other coverage
Analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates were on hand to break down prospects, and NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler shared a tweak to the combine workouts that could matter for certain players. A brief media segment examined Fernando Mendoza’s combine week after his decision not to throw at the event. On social media, Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton called out a televised side-by-side of his draft profile next to Sonny Styles, tweeting: "I just got brutally framemogged. "
Local interest and additional notes from the Thursday slate
Thursday, February 26th’s on-field schedule listed defensive linemen, linebackers and kickers working out while defensive backs and tight ends met with the media. The Washington Commanders were noted as having particular interest in Thursday’s workouts. Commentary and podcast discussion around the combine included preview segments and roster-focused evaluations; a manager credited during coverage goes by the name Scott Jennings and posts under the handle @ScottJenningsHH.
The next confirmed on-field sessions are defensive backs and tight ends at 3 p. m. ET Friday, followed by quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs at 1 p. m. ET Saturday and offensive linemen at 1 p. m. ET Sunday as the combine’s on-field portion continues through March 1.
