The New York Jets could make a meaningful day-three swing in the 2026 NFL draft by taking Lorenzo Styles Jr., a versatile defensive back from Ohio State who may still be on the board in the fifth through seventh rounds. Styles, the brother of top prospect Sonny Styles and the son of former linebacker Lorenzo Styles, ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
That kind of speed fits Aaron Glenn's approach, and it comes with position flexibility. Styles can line up at safety, nickel and outside corner, and he has already shown he can help on special teams after doing that work for both Ohio State and Notre Dame. For a Jets defense that went through the entire 2025 season without an interception, a late pick that adds range, depth and field-stretching athleticism would not be a small bet.
The family name carries its own weight. Lorenzo Styles won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams in 2000, and his son has followed a winding path that started with his first two college seasons at Notre Dame, where he also played wide receiver before moving on to Ohio State. That kind of background matters for teams looking beyond the stat sheet, because Styles has already had to adapt to different roles and different programs while still finding ways to stay on the field.
The fit is also shaped by what the Jets actually have to work with. They hold one fifth-round pick and two seventh-round picks, which gives them a narrow but real path to target a player who could cover multiple jobs on one roster spot. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Dane Belton are already in the safety room, but Styles offers something different: speed, special teams value and the kind of versatility that lets a coaching staff use him in more than one package.
That leaves the draft question in plain view. If Styles is still available on day three, the Jets may decide that his athletic profile and positional range are worth the gamble, especially for a defense that needs impact plays and more flexibility in the back end.
