Nfl Combine: Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese Lead Defensive Surge as Quarterbacks Draw Attention
The 2026 nfl combine in Indianapolis produced headline-making workouts on Thursday as linebackers and defensive linemen set the tone for scouts and front offices. The results shifted perceptions for several prospects and set up another three days of position-specific drills that could further alter draft boards.
Sonny Styles' historic showing
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles delivered one of the most notable on-field performances of the week, posting a 4. 46-second 40-yard dash and ranking near the top in both the vertical and broad jump. Styles, the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles Sr., entered the event as a probable top-12 pick and his workout may have pushed him into the top 10 or even the top five. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with 32 7/8-inch arms, Styles became the first player documented at the combine to run a sub-4. 5-second 40 while registering a 40-plus-inch vertical and an 11-plus-foot broad jump at 230+ pounds, a combination scouts noted as rare for a player his size.
Arvell Reese and Thursday's defensive group
Former college teammate Arvell Reese matched Styles for the fastest 40-yard time of the day, also recording a 4. 46. The first night of workouts focused on defensive linemen and linebackers, and several other defenders turned in performances that drew positive evaluations. Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, UCF edge Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton were all singled out as standouts during the session.
Gracen Halton, Malachi Lawrence and interior defender measurables
Halton, listed as a 3‑technique, weighed 293 pounds and ran a 4. 82-second 40 while posting the top vertical among defensive tackles at 36 1/2 inches; his arm length measured 31 1/8 inches and he showed quick feet and physicality in tackling dummies. Lawrence produced a 4. 52-second 40, a 10-foot-10 broad jump and a 40-inch vertical at 253 pounds, supplementing 20 career sacks at UCF over four seasons and 33 5/8-inch arms. Another interior prospect, identified as Capehart, measured 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds with 10 1/4-inch hands and 33 7/8-inch arms; he ran a 4. 85-second 40 and posted a 33 1/2-inch vertical after totaling 4. 5 tackles for loss across his last 23 college games.
Linebacker riser Elarms-Orr and positional implications
Elarms-Orr may have vaulted to the front of a deep linebacker group after a 4. 47-second 40 at 6-foot-2, 234 pounds and a 40-inch vertical. A first-team All‑Big 12 selection, he paired physical run defense on film with the quickness displayed in drills; evaluators suggested that his speed could convince teams he can handle coverage responsibilities at the Sam linebacker spot. The broader effect is clear: when linebackers and interior defenders show blend of speed and explosiveness, it can translate into movement across Day 2 or Day 3 projections.
Nfl Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium: schedule, coverage and what’s next
The combine runs from Feb. 23 through March 2 with on-field workouts scheduled from Feb. 26 through March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Workouts continue Friday with tight ends and defensive backs, while quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs will go Saturday and offensive linemen Sunday. Live coverage is available on NFL Network, and supplemental coverage will stream on NFL+ beginning at 3 p. m. ET on Friday and 1 p. m. ET on both Saturday and Sunday.
Quarterback meetings and draft implications
Quarterback activity has also commanded attention. Alabama’s Ty Simpson used his media availability on Friday to call himself a "franchise quarterback, " despite limited starting experience. Evaluators largely view Simpson as the draft’s second‑best passer behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza; while Simpson is considered by some to be a late first-round pick, the scarcity of standout quarterbacks in this class could move him higher on boards. Miami quarterback Carson Beck plans to throw during the QB drills on Saturday.
Fernando Mendoza’s Raiders interview and perceived draft ceiling
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza emerged from interviews at the combine with positive momentum, describing a "fantastic interview" with the Las Vegas Raiders and speaking highly of team executive Tom Brady. Mendoza, expected to be the top overall pick in the upcoming draft, said he has already had a conversation with Brady and referenced Brady’s profile in the sport by asking rhetorically, "Who hasn’t admired Tom Brady, guys?" Should Mendoza land with the Raiders, he would be tasked with helping turn around a franchise that has not reached the playoffs since 2021.
Thursday’s defensive fireworks underscored how the combine’s drills and interviews can have immediate, measurable effects on draft standing: elite athletic displays translated to rising stock, while disappointing or withheld workouts left some prospects facing an uphill climb before the draft in Pittsburgh on April 23‑25. What makes this notable is the sheer variety of measurable improvements — from 40-yard times to verticals and broad jumps — that altered evaluations in a single night.
