Sonny Styles and Lorenzo Styles Jr. Steal the 2026 NFL Combine as David Bailey Joins Historic Week
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis just produced one of the most unforgettable weeks in the event's history — and a single family wrote most of the headlines. Ohio State's Sonny Styles and his older brother Lorenzo Styles Jr. both delivered all-time performances across back-to-back days, joined by Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey in making Lucas Oil Stadium feel like the most electric building in America from February 26 through March 1, 2026 ET.
Sonny Styles: 43.5-Inch Vertical, Top-Five Pick Status Locked In
Ohio State first-team All-Big Ten linebacker Sonny Styles entered the combine as a projected top-10 pick. His 43.5-inch vertical jump was the highest ever recorded by a player 6-foot-4 or taller since NFL Network began tracking combine data in 2003. His 11-foot-2 broad jump only hammered the point home further.
Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, Styles ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and ranked first at the combine in both production score and athleticism score according to NFL.com. In 2025, Styles logged 46 solo tackles, one sack, and one interception for the national champion Buckeyes.
Styles, projected as high as No. 12 by the Dallas Cowboys in Yahoo Sports' latest mock draft, followed up his 83-tackle season with the historic combine workout. The 21-year-old is also one of the youngest players in the entire 2026 draft class, having reclassified early in high school.
When asked about his draft prospects, Sonny Styles was characteristically self-assured: "I think no matter what pick I go, I do believe I can make a difference. Whatever club I get to, I'll figure out my role and just be a champion at it."
Lorenzo Styles Jr.: Fastest Safety 40 Since 2003 the Very Next Day
One day after Sonny Styles dominated the linebacker workouts, Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. made his own mark by running a blistering official 4.27-second 40-yard dash — the fastest combine time by a safety since at least 2003. It is rare for a safety to lead the pack among all defensive backs in the 40, but Styles Jr. was up to the challenge.
Styles Jr. also registered a 39-inch vertical jump, placing him near the top of the entire defensive back leaderboard. A wide receiver at Notre Dame in 2021 and 2022, he caught 54 passes in two seasons for the Irish before transferring to Ohio State and converting to defensive back.
Lorenzo Styles Jr. checked in at 6-foot-half and 194 pounds. While he is not ranked among the top prospects on Bleacher Report's big board, his combine performance elevated his profile dramatically heading into the April 23–25 draft in Pittsburgh.
The Styles Family Legacy: Father Lorenzo Sr. Won Super Bowl XXXIV
Football runs deep in the Styles bloodline. Their father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played linebacker at Ohio State from 1992 to 1994 before a six-year NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams — including a Super Bowl XXXIV championship ring with the Rams following the 1999 season.
Their mother Laverna Styles was present at the combine all week, watching both sons perform. She spoke on NFL Network about the joy of watching her boys shine on the same stage where their father once made his name.
David Bailey: The Other Combine Story That Cannot Be Ignored
Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey entered the 2026 combine ranked No. 3 on NFL Media's top-50 big board, and he answered every question emphatically. Bailey paced the entire edge rusher group with an official 4.50-second 40-yard dash in the 99th percentile, a 1.62-second 10-yard split in the 97th percentile, a 35-inch vertical, and a 10-foot-9 broad jump — all combining for a 9.67 Relative Athletic Score.
Bailey transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech and delivered a sensational senior season, earning the highest pass-rush grade in the country from PFF at 93.8. He checked in at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds with 33.75-inch arms and 10.25-inch hands.
CBS Sports awarded Bailey an A-minus combine grade, noting he has positioned himself as the clear number-one edge rusher in the 2026 draft and is firmly in the conversation for a top-five selection in Pittsburgh come April.
