Ohio State's Sonny Styles makes big announcement ahead of NFL Draft

Sonny Styles is ready to make an impact for one lucky NFL franchise in 2026 with his most recent announcement.

On Wednesday evening, linebacker Sonny Styles made his decision official that he intends to enter the 2026 NFL Draft after his three years starting for the Ohio State Buckeyes. This was an imminent decision ultimately, as Styles was ranked as the 7th overall prospect per college football analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

After an electric senior season that saw Styles fully transition to a true every down linebacker, as he was formerly a safety for the Buckeyes, his talents are surely to be sought after by NFL teams in need of a flashy and athletic player to anchor their defense.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, Mel Kiper’s No. 7 overall prospect, has announced his intention to enter the 2026 NFL draft.https://t.co/XXyGGMH0rz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2026

The Ohio State Buckeyes got the most out of Styles during his time with the program, as he helped lead their star-studded defense to a national championship last season. Styles, standing at 6 '4 and weighing in at 243 pounds looks much lighter on his feet, showcasing his sideline-to-sideline coverage as well as an instantaneous jump to meet any opposing player short of the sticks.

Many experts agree that Styles is worth the top 10 projection he’s been allotted, which makes sense for his incredible reactionary leverage he possesses as well as his knack for rarely missing a tackle. Styles only missed one total tackle all season, which is almost unheard of unless said player is as complete as Sonny Styles appears to be, he’s as sure fire as it can get.

In 2025, Styles put up very impressive numbers in his final season in Columbus, posting 46 solo tackles, 36 assisted tackles, giving him a total of 82 tackles on the season.

Styles not only plays the run incredibly well but also has elite coverage skills after spending his first two seasons with Ohio State as a hybrid safety. His ability to recognize plays at an alarmingly fast rate gives him the upper hand when it comes to disrupting an offense, especially with his frightening length and frame as a linebacker.

While Styles does only have two years total under his belt as a linebacker and tends to bite on creative run/pass options drawn up by opposing offenses, a knowledgeable defensive coaching staff will know how to correct that without changing Styles’ approach to each play.

In a draft class that has already seen four other Buckeyes declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, Styles now joins that elite company as the next premier rookie option for linebacker-needy teams early on in the first round. Styles benefited from playing on a defense that is loaded with future NFL talent, as well as playing for a head coach in Ryan Day who knows how to cater to his players' abilities to maximize their skills.

Styles will be amongst the first grouping of defensive players to be selected in April’s draft, and only time will tell which NFL team lands themselves a potential future star linebacker to develop for years to come.