Sportsvival turns its season‑end scouting lens to defensive playmakers for the 2026 NFL Draft; today’s profile spotlights Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, a versatile, rangy defender whose 2025 tape and hybrid skill set have vaulted him into early first‑round conversations among linebacker prospects.
Ohio State, LB, Sonny Styles- 6’4”, 230 lbs.
Background and Recruit Profile
High School: Pickerington Central High School (Pickerington, Ohio); a five‑star recruit who drew national attention for his rare combination of size, athleticism, and positional versatility.
High School Production: Senior season: 75 tackles, 5 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles. Styles showcased his ability to play safety, linebacker, and even edge roles, earning him a scholarship to Ohio State and early playing time as a true freshman.
Physical Profile and Measurables
Height/Weight: 6’4”, 230 lbs.
Frame: Long, athletic build with room to add functional strength while maintaining fluidity.
Athletic Traits: Explosive closing speed, smooth change of direction, and rare coverage ability for his size. Styles’ length and range allow him to match tight ends, spy mobile quarterbacks, and finish plays in space.
College Career and Production
Ohio State through 2025: Styles transitioned from safety to linebacker, becoming a centerpiece of the Buckeyes’ defense. His hybrid role allowed him to line up in the box, cover slot receivers, and blitz off the edge.
2025 Season Totals: 68 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 6 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. Game logs highlight his impact in both coverage and run support, with multiple contests where he neutralized opposing tight ends and disrupted passing lanes.
Strengths
Versatility: Can play linebacker, safety, or hybrid nickel roles; offers scheme flexibility.
Coverage ability: Matches up with tight ends and running backs in space, limiting mismatches.
Range and pursuit: Tracks ballcarriers sideline‑to‑sideline with closing burst.
Football IQ: Reads offensive concepts quickly, anticipates routes, and diagnoses run fits.
Length and physicality: Uses size to shed blocks and contest passing windows.
Weaknesses
Position definition: Some evaluators may question whether he’s best suited as a true linebacker, safety, or hybrid defender.
Bulk and anchor: At 230 lbs, may need added strength to consistently take on NFL offensive linemen in the box.
Consistency in run fits: At times over‑pursues, leaving cutback lanes open.
Testing confirmation: Teams will want verified combine metrics to confirm elite speed and agility at his size.
Player Profile and Projection
Draft Projection: Mid‑to‑late first round, with potential to rise higher depending on combine performance and scheme fit.
Role Projection: Day‑1 starter in nickel and sub‑packages, with upside to become a three‑down linebacker in modern defenses.
Ceiling: A Pro Bowl‑level hybrid defender who erases mismatches and elevates a defense’s versatility.
Floor: A reliable starter in sub‑packages who thrives in coverage and situational roles.
Pro Comparison
Derwin James.
Like James, Styles blends safety‑like coverage skills with linebacker size and physicality. Both players thrive in hybrid roles, using length, athleticism, and instincts to disrupt passing games and support the run. Styles projects as a similar type of defensive chess piece—capable of lining up across multiple spots and giving coordinators flexibility to disguise looks and neutralize modern offensive weapons.
Sportsvival View
Sportsvival views Sonny Styles as one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in the 2026 class. His high‑school pedigree as a five‑star recruit and his 2025 production (68 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 interceptions) underscore his ability to impact games in multiple ways. With strong pre‑draft testing and continued refinement of his run‑fit discipline, Styles could solidify himself as a first‑round selection and a cornerstone hybrid defender for an NFL defense. Without those, he still projects as a high‑end starter in sub‑packages who brings immediate coverage and versatility value.
(photo courtesy of 247 Sports)