Nfl Combine Day 1: Sonny Styles' Historic Workout, Arvell Reese and a Wave of Standouts in Indianapolis
The 2026 nfl combine opened its on-field sessions with a night of defensive linemen and linebackers grabbing headlines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Thursday's performances mattered because several prospects produced measurable results that can directly shift draft-day evaluations as the April 23-25 draft in Pittsburgh approaches.
Nfl Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium
The full event runs Feb. 23 through March 2, with on-field workouts scheduled from Feb. 26 through March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Broadcast coverage is on NFL Network, with live windows noted to begin at 3 p. m. ET on Friday and at 1 p. m. ET on Saturday and Sunday on NFL Network and NFL+.
Sonny Styles' Historic Workout and Measurables
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles produced one of the most remarkable single-day workout packages in recent combine history. The 6-foot-5, 244-pound 'backer — son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles Sr. — posted a 40-yard dash time of 4. 46 seconds, tied for the fastest mark of the day, and combined that speed with elite explosion: a vertical leap of 40-plus inches and a broad jump exceeding 11 feet. That trio of marks made him the first player recorded to run sub-4. 5 in the 40 while also posting a 40+ vertical and an 11+ foot broad jump at 230-plus pounds. The on-field work likely reinforced his standing after entering the week as a probable top-12 pick and pushed some evaluators to consider him inside the top 10, and even the top five.
Arvell Reese, Caleb Banks, David Bailey and Gracen Halton on Day One
Also on Thursday, edge rusher Arvell Reese — a former college teammate of Styles — matched Styles' 4. 46-second 40-yard dash, giving the pair the day’s top straight-line speed. Other defensive standouts named among Thursday's head-turners included Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Texas Tech edge David Bailey, UCF edge Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton.
Halton, a 3-technique interior tackle, weighed 293 pounds and ran a 4. 82-second 40 while registering a 36 1/2-inch vertical, the best vertical among defensive tackles in the workout group. His quick feet and physicality in tackling dummies were noted, and evaluators saw him as the best blend of college tape and Friday workout results among many sub-300-pound interior defensive line prospects.
Capehart, Elarms-Orr and Lawrence's Numbers
Multiple other prospects produced measurable bursts that could alter Day 2 and Day 3 conversations. A tackle identified as Capehart checked in at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds with 10 1/4-inch hands and 33 7/8-inch arms, posting a 4. 85-second 40 and a 33 1/2-inch vertical; his movement around obstacles and length in drills were strengths, though his college production included just 4. 5 tackles for loss over his last 23 games, highlighting why Thursday's showing mattered for his projection as a 3-technique penetrator.
Linebacker Elarms-Orr leapt into attention with a 4. 47-second 40 at 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds and a 40-inch vertical. A first-team All-Big 12 selection whose film shows run-stopping ability, his speed and 40-inch vertical supply evidence he can handle coverage responsibilities in a Sam role.
UCF edge Malachi Lawrence stood out with a 4. 52-second 40, a 10-foot-10 broad jump and a 40-inch vertical at 253 pounds, backed by 20 sacks over four college seasons; his straight-line speed was obvious even as some saw him as somewhat linear in movement, a profile that pushes him squarely into the Day 2 discussion.
Makai Lemon, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers Mock
Off the field, USC wide receiver prospect Makai Lemon — viewed as a projected first-round pick — said it would be “pretty cool” to catch a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers at the combine podium on Friday. A recent first-round mock placed Lemon to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and mock drafter Nate Tice argued that while the Steelers have not traditionally selected wide receivers in Round 1, their 2025 passing attack struggled beyond deep shots to DK Metcalf and a heavy reliance on tight ends. Tice wrote that Lemon's primarily slot background at USC pairs with Metcalf and fits Mike McCarthy’s quick-hitting scheme, offering an underneath weapon who can create after the catch regardless of Rodgers' status.
Quarterbacks, Carson Beck and Ty Simpson's Draft Pitch
On the quarterback front, Miami’s Carson Beck plans to throw during the quarterback drills on Saturday. Alabama's Ty Simpson used his Friday combine appearance to say he is ready to be a “franchise quarterback, ” even with limited starting experience. Most evaluators continue to view Indiana's Fernando Mendoza as the top quarterback in the class, with Simpson considered the second-best by many. Some project Simpson as a late first-round selection, but scouts and front offices may move him up boards because the class lacks clear standout quarterbacks — a dynamic that could elevate prospects who perform well during this week of evaluations.
What makes this notable is how tightly measurable results at the nfl combine can translate to tangible shifts in draft positioning: standout numbers like Styles' and Lawrence's increase Day 1 and Day 2 momentum, while uneven workouts or decisions not to perform can damage a player's chance of being selected early in April.
Thursday’s defensive-focused session set the tone for the rest of the week. Tight ends and defensive backs are scheduled for Friday, quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs go Saturday, and offensive linemen close the on-field schedule on Sunday — each day offering the final major showcase before teams finalize draft plans for April's draft in Pittsburgh.
