Sonny Styles posts historic combine numbers and sparks national reaction
sonny styles turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 43. 5-inch vertical, an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump and a 4. 46-second 40-yard dash — performances that follow an 83-tackle season and place him among the draft's youngest prospects. Those results have intensified debate about where he might land in April's draft and how teams will value his rare blend of size and explosiveness.
Combine testing: leap, horizontal explosion and sprint times
Styles recorded a 43. 5-inch vertical and an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump, numbers the event noted as historic for a linebacker. His vertical was only 1. 5 inches off the all-time combine record, and his broad jump ranks fourth among linebackers at the combine since 1999. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4. 46 seconds, a time that was tied for the best of the day with former Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese. Styles' athletic testing produced an estimated athletic score of 92, which ranked first among all linebackers at the event.
How sonny styles compares to established pros
At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, sonny styles drew immediate physical comparisons to former Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson on size. Observers in the context noted he is bigger than Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf and Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori and that he posted higher jumps than both. The context also emphasized that Styles posted the same 4. 46-second 40 as Falcons running back Bijan Robinson despite being the bigger player.
Sonny Styles' Ohio State background and family
Styles is a 21-year-old former safety who reclassified in high school and is one of the youngest players in the draft. He followed an 83-tackle season with his combine workout. He played high school basketball at Pickerington Central (Ohio), where his highlight reel featured rim-shaking dunks and blocks off the glass, and he played on the same high school team as Devin Royal. He is the son of former linebacker Lorenzo Styles Sr., who played for the Buckeyes from 1992 to 1994 before a six-year NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams and won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams.
His older brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., transferred from Notre Dame and played alongside him at Ohio State. Styles Jr. ran a 4. 28-second 40 at the combine and was a former kick returner.
Where he stands in mock drafts and the run-up to April
One recent mock draft projected Styles to be selected No. 12 by the Cowboys, and other evaluations in the context labeled him a likely top-15 pick. The context noted teams are preparing for the NFL Draft in 56 days. Arvell Reese was listed fourth in a mock draft projection and is expected to be one of the first names taken off the board; safety Caleb Downs was listed at No. 5 in a mock and his combine workout was expected to draw heavy attention on Friday. Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun was also scheduled to work out at the combine on Friday. The context said Ohio State's defensive talent made defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's first time coaching college football in 22 years a lot simpler.
Reaction on and off the field, including Kyle Hamilton's post
On Thursday, comparisons of combine film prompted a public reaction from Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton after his results were shown side by side with Styles' on a broadcast. The overlay compared Hamilton and Dallas's CeeDee Lamb to Styles on the 40-yard sprint; neither Hamilton nor Lamb kept up with Styles' 4. 46-second time. Hamilton joked about the comparison and called Styles "1 of 1. " The exchange was described in the context as an example of being "frame mogged, " a slang term meaning someone with a larger or more dominant physical build makes someone else look smaller or less athletic by comparison.
Ravens roster notes, evaluation focus and draft-side strategy
The Ravens-focused material in the context linked several roster and draft points: the franchise has drafted two tight ends in the same class four times in its history; Sonny Styles and Caleb Banks were singled out for impressive physical traits; and the 2026 draft class's crop of edge players was identified as one resource the Ravens could use to strengthen their pass rush. General Manager Eric DeCosta was quoted as saying he views defensive tackle as "one of the most important positions in football, " and he also expressed a desire to retain center Tyler Linderbaum before the start of the new league year and confidence that he can reach an extension with Lamar Jackson. New Ravens Head Coach Jesse Minter was characterized as believing the league is driven by offensive and defensive lines; the context added that Minter and the Ravens want to beef up in the trenches, are not ruling out an Isaiah Likely return, and that Baltimore likes the pass rusher draft class. The context also invited readers to look back on some of the top combine performances from current Ravens players.
The combine spotlight has pushed sonny styles into national conversation not just for raw numbers but for the way his size and explosiveness rearrange positional comparisons and draft conversations as teams finalize their April plans.
