Ohio State linebacker expected to end NFL draft drought

Off-ball linebackers have not been well-represented in recent drafts, and one Ohio State linebacker will be looking to change that

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles takes the field for warm ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since 2020, off-ball linebackers have been in a draft drought. There have been none taken inside the top 15 picks of the NFL draft.

With the dominant season Ohio State’s defense has had, the Buckeyes National Championship-winning linebacker is looking to end that streak.

Sonny Styles has been a dominant force this season. The All-Big Ten linebacker and All-American honoree finished the regular season with 81 tackles, a pick, a forced fumble and half a sack, and most impressively, did it all without registering a missed tackle this year.

Back in 2020, the Arizona Cardinals selected Isaiah Simmons with the eighth overall pick, hoping for Simmons to be a linebacker/safety hybrid. Simmons' career was never ever to take off, as we couldn’t adapt to the hybrid-style play teams wanted from him. He is currently on his third team, the Carolina Panthers.

Styles, however, is wanted to play as a pure linebacker. He’ll hopefully be able to play as an aggressive, downfield style run stopper who can also be an asset in coverage. The focus will be him finding gaps in an opponents run game, and stuffing the back in the hole.

Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings are all teams that could benefit from some extra firepower on the defense, and are all likely to hold picks inside the top 15.

 Other teams who may need a likebacker like Styles, but are less likely to draft Styles with a high draft pick, are the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders.

If Styles does fall outside the top 15, he likely won’t have to wait too much longer to hear his name called. Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers are expected to be just on the outside, and will be very interested in Styles. Both of those teams could move into the top-15 if their seasons don’t end on a high note.

Surprisingly, Styles may not even be one of the first three Buckeyes to come off the draft board. Wide receiver Carnell Tate, safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Arvell Reese (who is expected to be drafted as an on-ball linebacker) all may be drafted ahead of Styles.

His other three teammates have been heavily considered top-10 caliber draft picks, with some experts even placing them inside the top five.

Now Styles prepares to lead Ohio State on another CFP run, trying to add to his list of college accomplishments before entering the draft.