Few players in the history of the NFL scouting combine have turned in a performance like the one Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles gave on Thursday in Indianapolis.
In front of all of the NFL’s most important decision makers, Styles not only ran the 40-yard in a blazing, 4.46 seconds and broad jumped 11-feet, 2 inches, he registered a mind-melting 43.5-inch vertical leap — the best anyone at his position has jumped in over 20 years.
“To put Styles’ vertical jump into context, it was better than Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who at 6-5, 239 pounds, had a 42½-inch vertical jump at the 2007 combine,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote. “Styles’ jump was also better than current Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, whose 43-inch jump was the best at the 2025 combine.”
Styles, 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, is projected as the No. 7 overall pick to the Washington Commanders in the second mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
He’s 1 of 4 Ohio State players projected to go in the first 7 picks, which would be an NFL draft record. He also made a leap up from the No. 12 spot in Kiper’s 1st mock draft.
“This would be the fourth Ohio State player off the board — the most ever in the first seven picks for one school, per ESPN Research,” Kiper wrote on February 24. “Styles is getting a lot of love around the league right now, and he’s going to be fun to watch at the combine if he works out. The former safety has real speed on a 6-foot-4, 243-pound frame. With the Commanders’ defense getting crushed for 6.0 yards per play last season (tied for third worst) and potentially losing 35-year-old free agent Bobby Wagner up the middle, this fit makes sense.”
What NFL Teams Would Get in Sonny Styles
Styles, 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, is the rare player who could come in and probably tap into a Pro Bowl or All-Pro level of play from the moment he steps on the field — a true playmaker at inside linebacker who kind of defines versatility.
Styles, a 2-time All-Big Ten pick and All-American in 2025, had 182 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 7.0 sacks and 8 pass deflections over the last 2 seasons. He’s also the son of former NFL cornerback Lorenzo Styles, who played 6 seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams following the 1999 season.
New York Jets offensive tackle Armand Membou, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, received a 4-year, $31.9 million rookie contract.
Drawing Lofty Comparisons in Pre-Draft Evaluations
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein made the loftiest of comparisons for Styles in his pre-draft evaluation — no less than San Francisco 49ers NFL All-Pro Fred Warner.
Warner is also the NFL’s highest paid inside linebacker with a 3-year, $63 million contract extension signed in May 2025.
“The former Buckeye diffuses block attempts with crisp hand strikes and leverages run fits with force/anchor strength,” Zierlein wrote. ” … He can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man-cover talent. Styles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators. He could see his stock soar leading up to draft day.”
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