Ohio State Defensive Stars Dominate NFL Combine
Ohio State defensive standouts Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese showcased exceptional athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine, solidifying their status as top draft prospects.
Ohio State's elite defense—which led the nation with just 9.3 points allowed per game and 219.1 yards per game this season—produced two prospects making waves at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Linebacker Sonny Styles and edge rusher Arvell Reese turned Thursday's measurements into a showcase of speed and explosiveness, separating themselves from the competition.
Record-Setting Performance
Styles shattered the linebacker vertical jump record with a 43.5-inch jump and posted an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump. He ran two sub-4.50 times in the 40-yard dash, finishing with an official time of 4.46 seconds—the fastest among all linebackers.
Reese matched Styles' 40 time at 4.46 seconds (unofficial 4.47 on his second attempt), posting the best mark for edge rushers on the day.
Already Elite Draft Prospects
Both players were already considered top-tier prospects before stepping on the combine floor. FOX Sports analyst Henry McKenna had both in the top 12 of his initial 2026 mock draft—Reese to the Washington Commanders at No. 7 and Styles to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12. FOX Sports Research's most recent projection moved them even higher: Reese to the New York Jets at No. 2 and Styles at No. 16.
Styles earned first-team All-American honors this season. Reese, more versatile in his positioning, recorded 6.5 sacks in 2025 while also operating as an off-ball linebacker at Ohio State, making him one of the draft's more intriguing prospects given his positional flexibility.
