Ohio State's two star linebackers starred at the NFL Combine on Thursday, and it leaves Buckeyes fans scratching their heads.
Two of Ohio State's best defenders in 2025 were the stars of the show in Indianapolis on Thursday. It was the players' first time on the field, and both Buckeyes turned heads.
Styles was absolutely the star of the show as his measurements were through the roof, and then he got out on the turf and ran a blazing fast 4.46 40-yard dash. His testing was simply jaw-dropping, and he somehow improved his already sky-high draft stock.
It woulda have been the fastest linebacker 40 time if it wasn't for his linebacking partner Arvell Reese. While they are both listed as linebackers, the two basically play two different positions.
Reese is going to make his money rushing the passer, and he is going to do it by being very fast. Reese matched Styles' 4.46 40-yard dash, and while his other testing scores were not as stunning as Styles', it was still incredibly impressive.
The two together are the most physically gifted players on a Buckeyes defense that is going to have four first-rounders on it, and it begs the question: How the heck did the Buckeyes' offense let this group down?
The defensive backs test on Friday, and we will see what numbers safety Caleb Downs puts out, but wow, was this a talented group that was totally let down by the offense.
In Ohio State's two losses, the defense gave up 13 points against the Indiana Hoosiers and 17 points to the Miami Hurricanes. Remember, there was a pick-6 that Miami had to take an early lead.
What isn't a surprise is how good the Buckeyes' defense was all year long. Ohio State had the best defense in the country, and it wasn't particularly close. They were running an NFL-style defense that had three of the best four players in the country made them a force to be reckoned with.
The surprise came when the Buckeyes had three close games all year. The first was a nailbiter against the Texas Longhorns, and then the two playoff games against Indiana and Miami.
Ryan Day, Brian Hartline, and the Buckeyes offense absolutely let down the Buckeyes' defense, and Buckeye fans can only hope that they learned from their lessons last year and won't let it happen again.
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