Deep Dive: Ohio State duo Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese shine at NFL Combine DL and LB workout day

The NFL Combine (National Football League's annual pre-draft showcase where college players perform athletic tests) serves as a pivotal event in the draft evaluation process, with workout day for defensive linemen (DL) and linebackers (LB) drawing intense scrutiny from scouts. Ohio State's Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese emerging as standouts underscores the Buckeyes' reputation for producing NFL-caliber defensive talent, a program historically ranking among the top producers of first-round picks in these positions over the past decade. From a competitive strategy lens, standout combine performances like those by Styles and Reese can elevate draft stock significantly; historical data shows players with top-10 times in the 40-yard dash or exceptional shuttle runs for DL/LB often rise 10-20 spots in mock drafts post-combine. This matters because it signals potential mismatches in team needs—teams like the edge-rushing needy Bears or linebacker-deficient Steelers could pivot strategies based on verified athletic metrics, influencing free agency spending and trade-ups valued at millions. Business-wise, Ohio State's dual shine amplifies the program's $100M+ NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) collective value, attracting recruits and boosting media rights deals amid the college football arms race. Culturally, it reinforces the Midwest pipeline to the NFL, where Ohio State alumni comprise 5-7% of active rosters annually, inspiring fanbases and youth programs in Rust Belt states. Looking ahead, this positions Styles and Reese for Day 2 draft selection (rounds 2-3), where average contracts exceed $5M guaranteed, signaling a healthy defensive talent pool that could depress veteran free agent prices by 10-15% league-wide and reshape parity in a pass-heavy NFL era.