Ohio State football: Top 2023 OSU recruit to reclassify?

The top recruit in the Ohio State football team’s 2023 class, who is the number one rated player in Ohio, said he may look to reclassify and join the Buckeyes next season. Sonny Styles of Pickerington Central told long time Ohio recruiting expert Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts he is looking into the possibility,

"“I’m thinking about it, but it’s not official yet.”"

Styles further told Kurelic he needs the approval of the Board of Education for the Pickerington Local School District,

"“I’m trying to see if I can and if they approve it, I have to make a final decision.”"

He said if he does reclassify, he will finish his high school basketball season and then graduate in May. Styles would then join the Ohio State program in June.

Styles is a five-star recruit and the nation’s number six overall player for 2023. He’s ranked as the top safety, but at 6’4” and 205 pounds already, he is expected to move to linebacker or bullet. The Buckeyes won a fierce battle with Notre Dame for his commitment.

Coming so close on the heels of the Quinn Ewers transfer, I’m sure a lot of Buckeye fans are leery of another high school junior joining the Buckeyes a year early. I am as well, but I think Styles may be better equipped to handle a move like this.

He’s from the Columbus area, so his family support system is nearby and he has time to consider all sides of the decision facing him. Ewers was over a thousand miles from home and rushed through the reclassification process. I don’t think Styles making the transition to college football early is going to be nearly as difficult as that of Ewers.

Sonny Styles is the son of former Buckeye linebacker Lorenzo Styles, who won a Super Bowl ring with the St. Louis Rams. There is no timetable for either the Pickerington school board or Styles to make a decision.