Sonny Styles, LBHeight: 6’5”Weight: 244 lbsClass: SeniorSchool: Ohio StateHands: 10Arm length: 32 ⅞”40-yard-dash: 4.46s10-yard-split: 1.56sVertical Jump: 43 ½”Broad Jump: 11’2”3-Cone Drill: 7.09sShort-shuttle: 4.26sSTATS
A former five-star recruit out of Pickerington Central High School in Pickerington, Ohio, where he was the third overall recruit from his state and the second safety during the 2022 recruiting cycle. Styles was a highly regarded prospect who was initially a safety but transitioned to linebacker (James Laurentitis is the LB coach for the Buckeyes) after the 2023 season.
In his first season as a linebacker (2024), Styles recorded 43 STOPs and 47 in the following season. He was the starting linebacker for the Buckeyes when they won the National Championship (2024).
He finished his college career with 111 STOPs and 39 pressures and he SIGNIFICANTLY improved his missed tackle rate from his first to second season starting at LB: He missed 18.4% of his tackles in 2024 (19 missed tackles) and he missed just 2.2% in 2025 (two tackles).
Styles mostly played in the BOX over his last two seasons, but would kick out to overhang in certain defensive packages, while also operating as an edge rusher a bit. He finished his college career with 2,172 defensive snaps.
Styles was a First-Team All-American selection in 2025 and was Second-Team All-Big-Ten in 2024. Sonny’s brother, Lorenzo, is a defensive back in the draft as well, and their father played for Ohio State and had a six year career in the NFL.
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
StrengthsElite size and length for the position – 97th percentile height92nd percentile wingspan – LONG!Elite athlete with elite explosiveness, speed, and acceleration Sideline-to-sideline range – BURST!Covers so much space with size+speed Sufficient fluidity and change of direction skillsElite communicator at the LOSVery high football IQSolid vision in the tackle-boxVery good run defender in the boxQuick trigger downhill to fill and meet climbing OL earlyTough and physical in the boxDevastating defender to read in Z/R2024 to 2025 block shedding improvedExcellent ability to get outside the boxStays square to target with elite sifting ability through trashBrings violence to the tackle pointElite tackling ability – wrap up and drive to the deckExcellent pursuit defender form the backsideStrong play-side ability to shed/finishAbove average blitzing ability Solid man coverage skills vs. quicker receiversMatches well against tight ends in man coverageElite length allows him to close throwing windows wellSolid zone coverage ability, albeit fooled a few timesElite versatility allows defense to stay variedA true three down linebacker with a multi-faceted skill-setStill upside due to lack of experience Leader who wore the GREEN DOT for Matt Patricia WeaknessesNot deficient fluidity, but not the most fluid either Could improve run blocking recognition Quick when diagnosed but hesitated a few timesIs not bad in zone coverage, but lost responsibility a few timesCan be overaggressive against play action Not a ton of experience playing LBSummary
Sonny Styles has an elite size + athletic profile and his best football has yet to be played, but that doesn’t mean he is purely a projection.
Yes, Sonny Styles has only played two seasons at linebacker and is new to the position, but he won a National Championship as a linebacker and wore the Green Dot in a complex Matt Patricia coached defense. He is a very smart and talented young man with elite physical tools.
Styles’ progression from 2024 to 2025 as a linebacker was evident, and his tackling mechanics highlighted this, as did his ability to quickly process and fit the run, while shedding and maintaining his gap-responsibility at beyond a competent level.
Not only is Styles physical in the box, but his sideline-to-sideline range allowed him to be excellent in pursuit from the backside. He is a dangerous read defender and does an excellent job diagnosing plays around the line of scrimmage.
He has some stiffness in his lower-half, but is fluid enough to mirror/match tight ends in coverage, but may struggle against the shorter Wan’Dale Robinson types, which isn’t a surprise given Styles’ massive size. Few players possess his size/speed, while showing a comprehension to play the run as well as he did through two seasons with the Buckeyes.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Styles is his versatility that doesn’t appear to come at the expense of his competence at linebacker.
His presence allows creative defensive coordinators to bestow a wide range of responsibility onto Styles, whose ability allowed him to execute those assignments at a high rate in the Big-Ten.
Projecting that skill forward isn’t always easy, but the young man has the correct temperament and mentality to be translate his college effectiveness to the next level, especially if he continues his upward trajectory of development.
Overall, Sonny Styles is a rare athletic prototype with good stack & shed technique and excellent range as a linebacker, who can also be effectively used across the defensive front.
He was inconsistent – at times – with his reads, but that’s me nitpicking. Styles will be an impact player in the NFL – one who can thrive with a creative and adaptive defensive coordinator.
GRADE: 6.85
Nick Falato’s Draft Grade Chart | Nick Falato
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