Panthers Sadly Have No Shot At Picking Dominant Linebacker After Combine

The NFL Scouting Combine drills and workouts began yesterday, starting with two positions that headline this draft class, the edge rushers and linebackers. Every year, there’s a player who’s “won the combine” by testing extremely well and exceeding expectations even if they’re already high.

Through one day of the combine, that winner is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, and now the Carolina Panthers have absolutely no chance at drafting him.

Styles was already projected to be drafted before the 19th overall pick anyway, but his combine dominance just ensures he will be a top 10, if not top five, pick in the draft, and even trading up to get a pick like that would be too costly for Carolina when there are other linebackers in this class.

Sonny Styles is a LB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 10.00 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1 out of 3215 LB from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left, bench tmrw, but 10.00 RAS watch is officially on!… pic.twitter.com/f2JFhymsXH
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 27, 2026

Sonny Styles recorded some of the best combine results ever for a linebacker. Here are some of his outstanding testing performances.

Starting with the vertical jump, Styles recorded an impressive 43.5-inch jump. This is the highest ever for a linebacker and surpasses many well-known players across different positions. His jump exceeds Calvin Johnson’s at the combine and, more recently, outperforms Nick Emannnwori of the Seattle Seahawks.

Sonny Styles 43.5" vertical 🔥🔥

#1 highest since 2003 for anyone 6'4"+

#1 highest since 2003 for anyone 240+ lbs

FREAK!!pic.twitter.com/mNXIDr5OLc
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 26, 2026

He also did well in the broad jump, with an 11’2 jump, which was the most by any player who jumped yesterday at the combine, and the same as Julio Jones.

So Styles can jump higher than prime Calvin Johnson and as far as prime Julio Jones, what could possibly be more impressive? His 40-yard dash time: Styles ran a 4.46, which is as fast as Bijan Robinson’s and faster than guys like Josh Jacobs and Rico Dowdle.

Sonny Styles is putting together one of the most absurd combine performances of all time

6’5 | 245 lbs
11'2" broad jump (T-4th all-time)*
43.5" vertical jump (1st all-time)*
4.47 40-Yard Dash

Top ___ player in the class

* - Among LBs
pic.twitter.com/HQsKTIsJRW
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) February 27, 2026

It’s extremely impressive for a linebacker who weighs over 240 pounds to test this well and have numbers comparable to skill position greats.

The Panthers didn’t have much of a chance at Styles to begin with, but now that his stock has risen ever higher and is the top headline through one day of the combine, there’s zero chance.

Carolina would need to trade multiple picks or a combination of picks and a player to move up high enough to draft Styles. While he seems likely to be great, it would be irresponsible to throw caution to the wind and make that kind of trade.

It's not the end of the world, though. Carolina will still have some awesome linebacker talent to choose from if that’s the direction GM Dan Morgan decides to go with in the first round.

Guys like CJ Allen, Anthony Hill Jr, and Isiah Trotter are all really good talents that could bring some much-needed juice into the linebacker room for the Panthers.

#Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. runs a 4.52 in the 40. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/o5LrSUbiQQ
— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) February 27, 2026

While Styles does seem even more special now, linebacker isn’t a lost cause after he leaves the board.