Below is an excerpt from Ohio State WLB Sonny Styles’ scouting report on The SIS NFL Draft Website.
Click here to read the full report and ratings from Derek Stanzione, as well as statistical analysis from our R&D team.
Summary
Styles is a steadily improving off-ball linebacker with exceptional athleticism, coverage skills, and toughness against the run who still has loads of potential to reach as he moves to the NFL.
Overall rank: #7; Positional Rank: #1; Grade: 6.8 (Strong Starter)
Sonny Styles is a starting off-ball linebacker in Ohio State’s Nickel defense that uses a variety of fronts. He would alternate roles as the Mike and Will, with his talented teammate Arvell Reese. He played in 55 games, with 42 starts across his career, and he spent his first 2 seasons as a Buckeye playing at safety and slot defender, before transitioning full time to linebacker in the spring of 2024. He has a massive but lean frame with long arms and explosive lower half with tremendous burst and athleticism. After winning a state championship in football and basketball, he graduated high school early and enrolled a season prior than planned at OSU. He is extremely tough and was awarded the prestigious “Block O” jersey this season, which signals his strengths as a leader and competitor. His father, Lorenzo Sr., was a Buckeye legend and NFL champion with the Saints, and he also played with his brother, Lorenzo, at OSU too.
Styles’ real strength is his versatility to line up across the formation and ability to drop into coverage in the pass game. He has good footwork and is extremely comfortable dropping into zone coverage while maintaining eyes on the quarterback. He is an excellent communicator and is constantly scanning the areas around him for crossers coming behind. He displays excellent range, as his long strides quickly eat up space which allows him to contest passes and close on the ball quickly. He possesses good lateral quickness and changes direction with ease, which allows him to stay with receivers once the play starts to break down. He does a good job at mirroring backs and tight ends movements to stay in phase when in man coverage. He can be an effective blitzer from depth, showing good burst and acceleration to create pressure quickly in the pocket.
Styles is an extremely tough and willing run defender with sideline-to-sideline range. He has good instincts against the run and is able to quickly identify the run and get downhill, while still developing his eyes and blocking scheme recognition. As the 2025 season went along, he consistently improved his take on ability. He can be stout against the run utilizing his length and power in his hands. He can get caught up on blocks on occasion against high-level competition, but he is still competitive to work through blocks. He can serve to shed off blocks quicker, but he does a good job at locating the football and making a play on the ball. He is not afraid of the physicality and contact, and looks to violently strike through the chest of the runner. Additionally, he does a good job tackling players in space and limiting YAC. He also has the athleticism to evade and sidestep blockers keeping himself clean in the gap. He really improved as a tackler in his 2nd year as a full-time linebacker, going most of the season without having a tackle be broken against him.
Syles projects as a true three-down starting off-ball linebacker at the next level with high-end athleticism at his size. His skill set can fit more as a Will, but he has all the tools to be a Mike Linebacker as well. In his 2nd full season as a true linebacker, he steadily improved his ability to take on blocks and be a true leader in the middle of the defense. On 3rd down, he can be lined up across the formation to help disguise pressures and coverages. His athletic traits and toughness should translate immediately to special teams where he could be an impact player.
