2026 NFL Draft: Lorenzo Styles Jr. Selected No. 172 Overall By New Orleans Saints

Former Ohio State cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. is officially off to the NFL after being selected by the New Orleans Saints with the No. 172 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Styles is the first Buckeye to be selected on day three of the draft and the ninth player out of Ohio State to be taken this year.

Even though Styles grew up in Pickerington, Ohio, and spent three seasons with the Buckeyes, he didn’t begin his college career with them. He first committed to Notre Dame out of the 2021 recruiting class as a wide receiver out of Pickerington Central High School. He was the No. 115 player in the country and the No. 20 wide receiver.

In two seasons with the Fighting Irish on the offensive side of the ball, Styles had a total of 54 catches for 684 yards and two touchdowns. But he decided to enter the transfer portal and join his younger brother in Columbus after his sophomore year.

He spent the 2023 season redshirting, using it as an opportunity to switch to the defensive side of the ball and learn from cornerbacks coach Tim Walton.

Then, he became a rotational player on the 2024 national championship team, getting time behind nickel safety Jordan Hancock. He finished the season with 16 tackles and four passes defended.

In his final season with the Buckeyes, he claimed the starting spot and played in 12 of 14 games, finishing with 30 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and three passes broken up.

Without eligibility remaining, he was invited to the NFL combine, where he put up a time of 4.27 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which made headlines for being the second-quickest time of the weekend, and the fastest at cornerback.

Now Styles is off to join the Saints and play for head coach Kellen Moore, where he will likely be down the depth chart behind the likes of Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley and Jordan Howden.