Nobody has seen their draft stock rise faster since the NFL Scouting Combine than Sonny Styles. The Ohio State linebacker delivered one of the most eye-opening performances of the pre-draft process, and the momentum has carried directly into the latest projections for the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
Some mock drafts now have Styles going as high as No. 3 overall, a significant rise post combine. The surge has not gone unnoticed among NFL insiders.<\/p>\n
During a recent appearance by Albert Breer on the The Rich Eisen Show, host Rich Eisen summed up Styles\u2019 climb in simple terms. \u201cSonny Styles is the hottest guy on planet earth<\/a> right now,\u201d Eisen said.<\/p>\n Breer agreed with that sentiment and explained why the Ohio State linebacker has become one of the fastest risers in the class. <\/p>\n \u201cSonny Styles knocked his meetings out of the park,\u201d Breer said. \u201cHe is an A-plus kid.”<\/p>\n Styles\u2019 rare combination of size and athleticism has helped fuel that excitement. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the combine and posted a 43\u00bd-inch vertical jump, numbers that reinforced his upside as a dynamic defensive playmaker.<\/p>\n There is still one factor that could influence exactly where he lands in April<\/p>\n \u201cThe only question with him is how you value the position,\u201d Breer said. \u201cThere are some teams that just don\u2019t value off-ball linebackers that high.\u201d<\/p>\n Styles\u2019 rise is part of a broader wave of draft talent emerging from Ohio State. SI’s latest mock draft<\/a> included four Buckeyes in the first round, with all projected in the top seven picks.<\/p>\n