Styles' Combine Performance: A Special Teams Ace

0:00On April 1, Lorenzo Stau's Jr., the Ohio State defensive back straight dominated the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This 6-foot, 194-pound wretchert senior clocked the fastest 40-yard dash at 4.27 seconds with an explosive 1.49, 10-yard split and a 39-inch vertical jump. Coming from a receiver background, he flipped positions after transferring from Notre Dame and his athleticism jumped off the charts. Earlier this year, Stau's wrapped up over 570 defensive snaps at Ohio State, mostly in the slot with some free safety reps. A former 4-star wide-out recruit from Ohio, he balled out with 54 catches for 684 yards and 2 scores and 2 seasons at Notre Dame before switching sides of the ball. Now he's profiling as a versatile sub-packaged guy who can blitz or play deep. Fans and scouts are buzzing about his family ties. Brother to Ohio State linebacker Sunny Styles, and their dad Lorenzo Sr. was a Buckeye standout, who played 6 NFL seasons.

1:08As part of the 2024 national champs, Lorenzo brings that winning pedigree, plus core special teams experience from both schools. His receiver roots show when he attacks the ball, giving him real upside. Digging deeper, he still raw after the position switch at age 23 with route recognition and tackling needing work. He missed about 16 percent of his tackles. Upper body injuries hit him in 2025, including shoulder surgery and he sometimes struggles locating deep balls. But that elite speed and explosion make him a special team's ace right away. Bottom line, Styles packs a high ceiling as a man-coverage corner or safety with development. Nick Falato grates him a 6.0D, a solid bet for teams hunting athletic traits and special teams help in the draft. Keep an eye on where he lands. Football news, powered by AI, this is NFL News Today. I'm Cory with The Story.