INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 27 – Day 1 of on-field workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine put the spotlight on front-seven prospects, with Ohio State linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey delivering some of the fastest times and biggest jumps in Indianapolis, according to Reuters and the NFL.
The combine is a key checkpoint in the run-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, drawing more than 300 prospects for measurements, medicals, interviews and workouts, with position groups rotating through Lucas Oil Stadium over the next four days, as detailed by ESPN and NFL.com.
Buckeyes lead linebacker show
Styles, a 6-foot-5, 244-pound linebacker, matched Reese with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, numbers that stood out among Thursday’s testers, per Reuters, NFL.com and CBS Sports.
Reese, who said he is training to be a pass-rushing linebacker at the next level, also ran 4.46 and focused on position drills after skipping the vertical and broad jumps, a profile highlighted by Reuters and NFL.com.
Edge rushers pop early
Bailey, a projected top-10 pick, led defensive ends with a 4.50-second 40 and measured about 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, while pairing a 35-inch vertical with a 10-foot-9 broad jump in a workout that reinforced his rise, according to Reuters and NFL.com.
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez also flashed quickness with a 6.90-second three-cone drill and a 4.19 short shuttle, while other linebacker testers drew grades and stock notes in CBS Sports coverage.
Draft boards take shape
Analysts said Styles’ rare combination of size and explosiveness could lock him into the top of April’s draft board, with NFL.com and Sporting News calling his performance one of the week’s early headliners.
The on-field schedule continues Friday with defensive backs and tight ends, followed by quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs on Saturday and offensive linemen on Sunday, per ESPN.
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Image: Lucas Oil Stadium panoramic view from south end suite
Credit: SounderBruce
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lucas_Oil_Stadium_panoramic_view_from_south_end_suite_-_WCNA_Oct._2024.jpg
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Modifications: Cropped to 16:9 and resized to 1920×1080.
