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Jeff Legvold
multiple authors
INDIANAPOLIS–OHIO STATE LINEBACKER sonny stylesThe projected top-10 pick in this year’s NFL Draft had one of the best vertical jumps for a player at his position in more than two decades on Thursday, the first night of on-field workouts at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Styles’ 43½-inch vertical leap was the highest by any off-ball linebacker at the combine since 2003 and the second-highest by any linebacker in that span, behind Cameron Wake’s 45½-inch leap in 2005.
Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, 244 pounds, Styles is rated No. 7 on ESPN Insider Mel Kiper Jr.’s big boardHe also clocked a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash with an 11-foot-2-inch broad jump and exceptional performances in the position drills. His Buckeyes teammates Arvel ReeseKipper, the No. 3 player on the big board, also ran a 4.46 in the 40, tying for the best time among all the players who ran Thursday night.
To put Styles’ vertical leap into context, it was better than Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who, at 6-5, 239 pounds, had a vertical leap of 42½ inches at the 2007 combine. Styles’ jump was also better than Current’s Seattle Seahawks Security Nick AmmanvoriWhose jump of 43 inches was the best in the 2025 combine.
Styles also had the best broad jump among all players participating Thursday, and he was the only player to reach a height of 11 feet among defensive linemen and linebackers.
Reese didn’t perform any jumps in the workout, but did perform position drills.
Styles, who played almost exclusively as a middle linebacker for the Buckeyes last season, said earlier this week that he is ready to show the league’s personnel evaluators what he can do on the field.
“I guess I would say that — the great defenses you see have at least two or three guys that can play multiple roles,” Stiles said.
