Sonny Styles
Sonny Styles  LB  Ohio State | NFL Draft 2026 Souting Report - Portrait Image
Sonny Styles
Height
6-4
Weight
235
College
Ohio State
Position
LB
Class
Junior
Home town
Pickerington, OH
84.7/100
Player Rating
9
PositionRank (LB)
4.48
FortyYD Time
Sacks
6
Fumbles Forced
1
Tackles
100
Sol tackles
49

Sonny Styles LB Ohio State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Sonny Styles LB Ohio State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB
Last Updated: 05/26/2025
Draft Year: 2026
40 time: 4.48 seconds (96%*)
Age: 20.6 DOB: 11/24/2004
Measurables:
Height: 6-4 (89%*) Weight: 235 (30%*)
Forty: 4.48 (O) (96%*)
0% 100%
(C) - NFL Combine (P) - Pro Day (O) - Other (HS) -Estimated from High School Combine
For an explanation of how the (HS) data is calculated see this article
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB
Last Updated: 05/26/2025
Draft Year: 2026
40 time: 4.48 seconds (96%*)
Age: 20.6 DOB: 11/24/2004
Measurables:
0% 100%
Height: 6-4 (89%*) Weight: 235 (30%*)
Forty: 4.48 (O) (96%*)
(C) - NFL Combine (P) - Pro Day (O) - Other
(HS) -Estimated from High School Combine
For an explanation of how the (HS) data is calculated see this article
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
Overall Rating: 84.7 / 100
Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced
Offense Rating:
81%
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects.
Tackling:
70%
Pass Rush:
71%
Run Defense:
79%
Coverage:
76%
DRAFT PROJECTION: 3rd
Overall Rank: #82 Position rank: #9
College Games: 34 College Snaps: 1363
Grade: 5 ESPN  Stars 5 ESPN  Stars ESPN RATING: 90/100
Grade: 247 Sports 5  Stars 247 Sports 98 Stars 247 RATING: 98/100
Grade: 5 Stars 5 Stars RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
Player Comparison* (Similarity level)
Jamin Davis - Kentucky
84%
Quay Walker - Georgia
83%
Danny Stutsman - Oklahoma
81%
Draft Profile: Bio
Sonny Styles comes from football pedigree, with father Lorenzo Sr. playing six seasons in the NFL after his Ohio State career, including a Super Bowl win with the Rams. The Pickerington, Ohio native reclassified to graduate high school after his junior year, joining the Buckeyes as a 17-year-old true freshman in 2022. He's maintained strong academics throughout his college career, earning multiple Scholar-Athlete honors while majoring in sport industry.

Styles started his Ohio State career at safety, playing primarily as a backup in 2022 before becoming a full-time starter in 2023 with 53 tackles in 12 starts. The position change to linebacker in 2024 transformed his impact, as he recorded 100 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks while earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition. His postseason performance was particularly impressive, contributing 24 tackles across four College Football Playoff games, including nine tackles and three sacks against Texas in the Cotton Bowl semifinal during Ohio State's championship run.

Off the field, Styles has been active in community service with the Huckleberry House, which supports at-risk and homeless youth in central Ohio. His decision to return for the 2025 season came after evaluating his draft prospects, with Styles stating he felt he had more to prove and develop before making the jump to the NFL. His brother Lorenzo Jr. transferred from Notre Dame and will start at nickel cornerback, making 2025 a notable season for the Styles family at Ohio State.
Scouting Report: Strengths
  • Super athletic - Made Bruce Feldman's Freak's List at #20. He Wrote: " “Sonny is the next one,” says teammate Marvin Harrison “For one, he’s 18. Very young, but he’s really, really fast and probably just as strong as anyone in that weight room.” Styles is 6-5, 228 pounds and broad-jumps 11 feet. He vertical-jumped 39 inches this offseason and squatted 600 pounds. He also ran the 40 in the high 4.4s and hit 22 MPH on the GPS. Remember his name this fall. "
  • Devastates run fits with violent hands and natural leverage, consistently winning one-on-one battles against pulling guards and lead blockers
  • Closes on ball carriers with frightening speed for his size, regularly running down plays from backside pursuit angles
  • Football instincts shine through elite play recognition and pre-snap diagnosis, often triggering before the snap to blow up screens
  • Versatility allows him to seamlessly transition between linebacker, safety, and even slot coverage depending on offensive personnel groupings
  • Brings legitimate pass rush ability from multiple alignments, showing natural hand usage and the flexibility to bend around the edge
  • Thrives in zone coverage with exceptional range and ball skills, using his wingspan to disrupt throwing lanes consistently
  • Special teams demon who arrives at full speed and has the frame to handle multiple roles in kicking game coverage
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
  • Man coverage against quick-twitch slot receivers exposes some stiffness in his hips and reveals limitations in tight-space movement
  • Tackling technique occasionally breaks down in space, leading to arm tackles and missed opportunities against elusive backs
  • Rush technique needs refinement as he tends to play too upright when attacking interior gaps, making him vulnerable to cut blocks
  • Can be overly aggressive at times, biting on play-action fakes and vacating his responsibility in run fits
  • Limited experience at linebacker position means he's still learning nuances of gap integrity and communication responsibilities
Scouting Report: Summary
The modern NFL demands defenders who can handle multiple responsibilities, and Styles certainly fits that mold with his rare size-speed combination and positional flexibility. His ability to impact the run game translates immediately to the professional level, where his natural leverage and pursuit speed should allow him to contribute from day one. However, the transition won't be seamless - his tackling consistency needs refinement, and coverage responsibilities will require significant development time against NFL-caliber receivers.

What makes Styles intriguing is how his skill set aligns with current defensive trends toward hybrid players, though that versatility could also work against him if teams struggle to define his optimal role. His zone coverage shows promise and should improve with proper coaching, but his limitations in man coverage against quicker targets will need addressing before he can handle every-down responsibilities. The pass rush ability he's flashed provides additional value, yet his technique when attacking interior gaps remains raw enough that opposing offensive lines will target those weaknesses early in his career.

Styles possesses the physical tools and football intelligence to develop into a quality NFL defender, but his success will largely depend on patience from both player and organization during the learning curve. His late college start at linebacker means he's still mastering position fundamentals that other prospects have been refining for years. The upside is legitimate - a defender who can cover tight ends, rush the passer situationally, and anchor run fits - but realizing that potential will require the right developmental environment and realistic expectations about his timeline to contribute at an elite level.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)

How other scouting services rate Sonny Styles (Overall Rank)

All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
71.2
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
9.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance. For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.

*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.