A combine phenom's stunning athletic display propels him toward Dallas, potentially transforming their defense with explosive talent and newfound speed.
The buzz around 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was impossible to ignore, and few players helped themselves more than Sonny Styles. The Ohio State standout delivered one of the most impressive all-around performances in Indianapolis, and it has propelled him up the draft boards.
But in a recent mock draft by NFL.com's Chad Reuter, he falls a little bit more than some are expecting him to. In fact, he falls to No. 12, where he thinks the Dallas Cowboys would be able to scoop him up and add him to their ailing defense.
"Not every NFL Scouting Combine Star ends up being a top-10 selection," Reuter writes. "Front seven defenders Jamin Davis, Odafe Oweh and Dallas Turner had similar workouts to Styles in Indy and lasted until the second half of the first round. Just like when Micah Parsons fell to them at No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cowboys luck out again this year, landing a much-needed run defender who can play in the box and track down ball carriers in space."
Styles logged a blazing 4.46 in the 40-yard dash while posting a 43.5-inch vertical and a broad jump of over 11 feet. At 6-5 and 244 pounds, Styles pairs rare size with explosive athleticism, quickly cementing himself as one of the biggest risers in the entire draft class.
That kind of performance doesn’t just turn heads—it reshapes draft boards.
And that isn't even taking into account the numbers that he put up at Ohio State.
Styles racked up 82 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and a sack in his senior season with the Buckeyes. He was also able to show his nose for the ball by defending three passes, forcing a fumble, and even snagging an interception.
America's Team's defense took a pretty sizable step back this past season compared to 2024. And whether that was because of the departure of Micah Parsons or not, it is definitely something that Jerry Jones and company need to address in the upcoming draft.
It may only be a mock draft scenario for now, but it’s one that highlights a compelling possibility: a defense in Dallas getting faster, more flexible, and potentially more dangerous with Sonny Styles in the middle.