Lorenzo Styles' combine burst: lorenzo styles runs fastest 40 by a safety since at least 2003

At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ohio State safety lorenzo styles ran an official 4. 27-second 40-yard dash and posted a 39-inch vertical on Friday, a showing that stands out for position history and for his family. The performance landed near the top of the leaderboards and arrived one day after his brother Sonny Styles drew major attention on Thursday.

Lorenzo Styles’ 4. 27 40 and vertical in Indianapolis

On Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium, Lorenzo Styles Jr. recorded an official 4. 27-second time in the 40-yard dash, the fastest time by a combine safety since at least 2003. He also registered a 39-inch vertical jump and opted not to perform the broad jump. The safety’s sprint put him ahead of many defensive backs; Missouri cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. paced the cornerback group with a 4. 32-second 40.

Sonny Styles’ Thursday showcase and competing measurements

Sonny Styles, Lorenzo’s Ohio State teammate over the past three seasons, was the combine headliner on Thursday with a showcase performance in jumping, running and positional work. Multiple reports list Sonny at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with a 43. 5-inch vertical. One set of measurements cited a 4. 4-second 40 and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, while another listed a 4. 46-second 40 and a 135-inch broad jump. Those numbers contributed to the narrative that Sonny has vaulted his draft stock further.

College background and on-field production for Lorenzo Styles

Lorenzo Styles Jr. began his college career as a wide receiver at Notre Dame in 2021 and 2022, when he caught 54 passes across two seasons for the Irish. He then transferred to Ohio State and converted to defensive back. Across three seasons with the Buckeyes, he logged 46 tackles and seven passes defended and did not record an interception.

Family lineage and the Styles presence in Indy

Football runs in the family: their father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played six NFL seasons and was part of the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV–winning team. Through two days of the combine, the Styles brothers drew sustained attention in Indianapolis, with commentators noting the family was “running away with the spotlight. ”

Wider combine context: other standouts and measurements

The on-field workouts began Thursday for defensive linemen and linebackers and produced several notable results. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq ran the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end since at least 2003. Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was measured at 6-foot-2 and 263 pounds and had an arm length listed at 30 7/8 inches, a figure cited as the third-shortest of any defensive end in combine history; Bain’s arm measurement also appeared as 30 and 7/8 inches in separate notes. David Bailey posted a 4. 50-second 40 with a 1. 62-second 10-yard split, a 35-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9 broad jump, and was noted as the fastest defensive lineman in the 40. Arvell Reese, who has played both edge and off-ball linebacker for Ohio State, clocked a 4. 47-second 40 and was measured at 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds.

Linebacker drills, award winners and individual metrics

Several linebackers impressed in positional drills and testing. Jacob Rodriguez reached a top speed of 18. 43 miles per hour during the backpedal-and-react drill, the fastest by any linebacker over the last four years, and he led linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and the 3-cone. Rodriguez also won the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Butkus Award and the Lombardi Award in his collegiate tenure, though age and size were cited as reasons for middle-round projections. Kyle Louis posted a 4. 53 40 (fifth among linebackers), a 1. 58 10-yard split (third), a 39. 5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9 broad jump, and had 24 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 10 sacks over the past two seasons. Malachi Lawrence ran a 4. 52 40, second to David Bailey among the measured defensive prospects, and generated 60 pressures over the previous two seasons.

Draft implications: Vernon Davis comparison and Commanders interest

Some evaluators compared the combine shake-ups to past leap-forwards; Vernon Davis was cited as an example after his combine when he ran a 4. 3 40 and posted a 42-inch vertical at 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds, then saw his draft stock rise before being selected sixth overall in 2006. Observers noted that Sonny entered the combine viewed as a top-10 prospect and that his workout could push him higher; one projection put Sonny at No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders. Commentators also flagged that the Commanders need a pass rusher and that Bain’s 2025 on-field dominance could clash with concerns over arm length. Analysts said they will be watching whether Bain falls in mocks and whether the Styles brothers, including lorenzo styles, continue to rise in draft evaluations.

Stock reports and lingering questions in Indianapolis

Scouting assessments and stock reports circulated through the first two days in Indianapolis. Observers raised questions such as whether Toriano Pride Jr. ’s blazing 40 boosted his profile and why some prospects, like Jermod McCoy, were skipping on-field drills. At combine press events, evaluators like Daniel Jeremiah were active in conversation about fits and measurements. The combination of historic raw testing, award-winning college resumes and family pedigree left Indianapolis with a long list of follow-ups as teams parse the data coming out of Lucas Oil Stadium.