Lorenzo Styles and the Styles brothers seize spotlight at 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
lorenzo styles stamped his name on the Indianapolis leaderboard with an official 4. 27-second 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, part of two days that saw the Styles brothers headline on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Their performances — one historic leap, one rare safety time — have shifted attention to a family with deep NFL ties.
Lorenzo Styles' 4. 27 40, vertical and positional conversion
Lorenzo Styles Jr. ran an official 4. 27 in the 40-yard dash on Friday, the fastest time by a combine safety since at least 2003, and he added a 39-inch vertical while opting not to do the broad jump. Missouri cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. paced the cornerback group with a 4. 32-second 40. Lorenzo was a wide receiver at Notre Dame in 2021 and 2022, catching 54 passes in two seasons for the Irish 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. Their father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played six NFL seasons and was part of the Rams' Super Bowl XXXIV-winning team.
Sonny Styles' historic vertical, size and numbers
One day earlier, Sonny Styles produced a showcase workout that began Thursday night. He jumped a 43½-inch vertical, the highest by an off-ball linebacker at the combine since 2003 and the second-highest by any linebacker in that span behind Cameron Wake's 45½-inch jump in 2005. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, Sonny recorded a 4. 46 in the 40-yard dash and an 11-foot-2-inch broad jump; another listing noted a 135-inch broad jump. His broad jump was the best among all players who took part Thursday, and he was the only player among the defensive linemen and linebackers to top 11 feet. Sonny played almost exclusively at middle linebacker for the Buckeyes this past season and was rated No. 7 on Mel Kiper Jr. 's big board.
Arvell Reese's role, measurements and workout details
Arvell Reese, a Buckeyes teammate of Sonny, also drew attention. Reese is listed as the No. 3 player on Mel Kiper Jr. 's big board, played both as an edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker for Ohio State, and measured 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds. He did position drills on Thursday but did not participate in the jumps; his 40-yard time was given as 4. 46 in one account and 4. 47 in another. Reese showed fluid movement and quickness in two-way drills and the ability to tackle in the open field.
Linebackers and edge rushers raising draft stock in Indianapolis
On-field workouts for defensive linemen and linebackers began Thursday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, and several front-seven prospects turned in numbers that could affect their draft standing. David Bailey ran a 4. 50 40-yard dash with a 1. 62 10-yard split, posted a 35-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9-inch broad jump, and had the fastest 40 of any defensive lineman; he was described as a predicted top-10 pick whose bag-drill force could push him even higher, possibly as high as a number-two pick. Malachi Lawrence ran a 4. 52 40, second to Bailey, and generated 60 pressures over the previous two seasons; his combine debut produced buzz that could lead to a second-round projection. 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, bypassing Jack Kiser, Jihaad Campbell, Trevin Wallace and Carson Bruener; Rodriguez led linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and the 3-cone drill, had an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles in 2025, and earned the Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Lombardi Award in college, though his age and size have produced middle-round projections.
Other standouts: Kyle Louis, Kenyon Sadiq, Toriano Pride and measurement notes
Kyle Louis backed up his Senior Bowl showing at the Combine: his 40 time ranked fifth among linebackers at 4. 53, his 10-yard split ranked third at 1. 58, his vertical ranked fourth at 39. 50, and his broad jump ranked second at 10-foot-9 inches for the position. Louis was described as undersized by NFL linebacker standards but versatile enough to play box safety or big nickel; over the past two seasons he posted 24 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 10 sacks. Kenyon Sadiq made combine history on Friday by running the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end since at least 2003. Toriano Pride Jr. 's 4. 32 led the cornerbacks. Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. had arms measured at 30 and 7/8 inches on Thursday, and he said on Wednesday that NFL clubs did not appear too focused on that measurement.
Style, comparisons and the combine narrative
Across two days in Indianapolis the Styles brothers dominated the headlines. Sonny's vertical was compared with past greats — it exceeded Calvin Johnson's 42½-inch jump at the 2007 combine and topped Nick Emmanwori's 43-inch jump, which had been the best at the 2025 combine — while Lorenzo's 4. 27 was noted as an uncommon safety-leading time among defensive backs. Sonny said earlier in the week that he felt ready to show personnel evaluators what he could do on the field and added, "I think I would say that -- the great defenses you look at, there's at least two or three guys who can play a multitude of roles. Like for example, this year for the Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori was a versatile player, and when you have guys like that on your defense, you're able to do a lot of different things as a coordinator. " Through two days of the combine, the family performances have made them focal points for evaluators and on-field measurement talk in Indianapolis.
