Feb. 28, 2026, 11:16 p.m. ET
When it comes to the NFL combine, it can make or break dreams of playing at the next level. Players can impress with their individual performances or be exposed for deficiencies in size, strength, and speed. Ohio State football sent 11 players to the combine this year, and while those you would expect to show out have, at least one Buckeye has unexpectedly turned heads.
NFL executives and coaches probably weren’t all that interested in Lorenzo Styles Jr. when it was announced that he would be joining the festivities in Indianapolis. But it didn’t take long for the Ohio State defensive back to get their attention when he posted a 4.27-second 40-yard dash. Coming into the combine, most didn’t have Styles being drafted. Now it would be surprising if he wasn’t.
In the long list of Buckeyes to perform at the NFL combine, Styles now owns a piece of history. His 40 time is the fastest ever recorded in Scarlet and Gray, and he becomes the first Buckeye to break a sub 4.3-second 40 yard dash. He broke a record that was once held by both Curtis Samuel (2017) and Parris Campbell (2019), both of whom ran a 4.31.
Styles’ 40 time was the fastest among all defensive backs and was second overall in the 2026 combine. It was also the first time that a defensive back broke the 4.3 barrier since 2003. Speed isn’t everything, but it sure doens’t hurt as NFL teams are always looking for a diamond in the rough. You can teach a player how to cover wide receivers. You can’t teach speed.
Only time will tell how the performance will ultimately move the needle for the older Styles brother. But all signs point to a big jump when draft day comes in April.
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