Lorenzo Styles and Sonny Styles Dominate Early Combine: Lorenzo Styles Jr. Runs a 4.27 40, Sonny Posts Historic Leaping Numbers

At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, lorenzo styles Jr. made a breakout splash on Friday by running an official 40-yard dash in 4. 27 seconds, the fastest 40 by a combine safety since at least 2003. That performance, coming a day after his brother Sonny Styles wowed evaluators, has left the Styles family firmly in the spotlight early in the workout window.

Lorenzo Styles Jr. 's 4. 27 40 and 39-inch vertical

Lorenzo Styles Jr. posted an official 40 time of 4. 27 seconds on Friday and did not attempt the broad jump. He did record a 39-inch vertical jump, a mark that placed him near the top of the leaderboard for that event. The 4. 27 mark stands out because it is the fastest 40-yard dash by a safety at the combine since at least 2003.

Lorenzo Styles' background and on-field résumé

Lorenzo Styles Jr. began his college career as a wide receiver at Notre Dame in 2021 and 2022, catching 54 passes across those two seasons before transferring to Ohio State and converting to defensive back. In three seasons with the Buckeyes, he did not record an interception but logged 46 tackles and seven passes defended. Friday's showing at the combine is widely viewed as a positive complement to that on-field résumé.

Sonny Styles' historic combine numbers and profile

Sonny Styles, Lorenzo's Ohio State teammate over the past three seasons, led Thursday's group with a massive athletic display. Listed at 6'5" and 244 pounds, Sonny posted a 43. 5-inch vertical, a 4. 46-second 40-yard dash, and a 135-inch broad jump. His vertical was the best for a player at his position dating back to 2003, and his overall workout further heightened pre-existing top-15 draft projections, with some evaluations suggesting the performance could push him into top-five consideration.

Linebackers, edges and other positional standouts at Lucas Oil Stadium

On-field workouts began Thursday in Indianapolis with defensive linemen and linebackers taking the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Several linebackers and edge defenders posted numbers that are likely to influence draft boards:

• David Bailey ran a 4. 50 40-yard dash, posted a 1. 62 10-yard split, a 35-inch vertical and a 10'9" broad jump. He had the fastest 40 of any defensive lineman and showed force during bag drills.
• Arvell Reese, who played both edge and off-ball linebacker for Ohio State, ran a 4. 47 40 and displayed fluid movement. He is listed at 6'4", 241 pounds.
• 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, surpassing Jack Kiser, Jihaad Campbell, Trevin Wallace and Carson Bruener. Rodriguez also led linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and the 3-cone, and his collegiate résumé includes winning the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Lombardi Award. Rodriguez had an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles in 2025; age and size factors have contributed to middle-round projections.
• Kyle Louis posted a 40 time of 4. 53 (fifth among linebackers), a 10-yard split of 1. 58 (third), a 39. 50-inch vertical (fourth) and a 10'9" broad jump (second). Over the past two seasons he recorded 24 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 10 sacks.
• Malachi Lawrence ran a 4. 52 40, placing second to David Bailey among defensive linemen; he generated 60 pressures over the previous two seasons and appeared fluid in drills.

Other notable combine storylines and unanswered questions

Missouri cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. paced the cornerback group with a 4. 32-second 40. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq set a mark for tight ends with the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end since at least 2003. Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. had arms measured at 30 and 7/8 inches on Thursday, and he stated that NFL clubs do not appear overly focused on that measurement. Questions remain about other prospects: evaluators asked whether Toriano Pride boosted his profile, whether Ty Simpson is ready to be considered a franchise quarterback, and why Jermod McCoy is skipping on-field drills in Indianapolis. Analysts are already compiling stock reports and initial draft movement assessments through the first two days of workouts.

The early picture from Indianapolis is clear: the Styles brothers have seized attention with elite athletic testing, linebackers and edge players delivered headline performances, and measurable results across positions are reshaping draft conversations as more drills and positional work continue.