A.J. Hawk doesn't hold back about Buckeyes linebacker duo Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese

Ohio State has one of the best defenses in the country, and a significant part of that is due to having two of the best linebackers in the sport.

Buckeyes linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are dominating the competition and will likely be first-round picks during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Before both players embark on their NFL journey, they are focused on winning back-to-back national championships.

Former Ohio State linebacker A. J. Hawk knows a thing or two about playing in the NFL and praised Styles and Reese during the "Bobby Carpenter Show" on Wednesday via The BIGPLAY Sports Network.

"I'm a broken record about it, but Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, I talk about them a lot," Hawk said. "I'm so impressed by their physical stature, and the way they can move is not normal. There are very few people on the planet who are as explosive as them."

.@OfficialAJHawk Talks about how special Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are as players:

"People don't realize how tough that is to do, and these guys are doing it every single week."

Presented by @drinkgaragebeer https://t.co/1ZudHR5iyz pic.twitter.com/X7DSzupp1b
— Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) November 13, 2025

Styles has played a crucial role in Ohio State's defense for several years, initially joining the Buckeyes as a safety during his early seasons. However, when Ohio State landed Alabama safety Caleb Downs in the transfer portal during th 2024 offseason, Styles moved to linebacker full time.

Styles had the opportunity to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, where he might have been a high pick. Instead, he chose to return to Ohio State for another season. Now, he is on track to be a first-round selection next April.

Reese was somewhat of a wildcard heading into the season. Last year, he served as a rotational backup, but he has now stepped up as a starter and transformed into one of the top defenders in college football.

Ohio State's head coach, Ryan Day recently discussed Reese's early years at Ohio State and how he persevered through a lack of playing time. This struggle ultimately transformed him into a standout player today.

“Early in his career, he could have very easily been discouraged because he didn’t play as much early on,” Day said. “We moved him to the defensive line for a couple of months and all those things helped him.

“Now his athletic ability, his mindset and now his understanding of what goes on in that room with what James Lauranitis has done in terms of just the football IQ in that room has allowed him to play at a high level."

Ohio State will host UCLA this Saturday, and fans are eager to see Reese and Styles deliver another outstanding performance.