Ohio State Football: One Buckeye player who’s ready to pop in 2023
The countdown is on for the Ohio State football team to get ready for Spring practices. Here is one player poised to have a breakout season for the Buckeyes.
The Ohio State football team is ready to start spring practices come March 7th. But in the meantime, players are busy with workouts in preparation for spring ball. This is often a time when younger players start to show and catch the eye of coaches and media alike. Everyone is out looking for the next big-time Buckeye who’s ready to pop come next season.
The one player that I believe is ready to explode come next season is safety Sonny Styles. Styles, a five-star recruit from suburban Columbus, showed some ability as a true freshman last season. He mostly played on special teams but saw some real game reps in the Toledo game and he impressed. Styles also saw a little package of plays on defense against Georgia in the Peach Bowl.
For Ryan Day and Jim Knowles to trust a true freshman that much must mean he’s showing up big in practice. And with Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCalister leaving the program to pursue the NFL, the time is right now for Styles to earn his role.
Styles is in line to win a starting role mostly because he reclassified from 2023 to the 2022 recruiting class. Getting on campus a full year early has allowed him to gain confidence and an understanding that he belongs. This, from Styles via Eleven Warriors:
"“I think that’s really gonna help me,” Styles said. “Because I think a lot of times as a freshman, it’s a confidence thing and getting comfortable. And I feel like my confidence has grown over the year and I’ve gotten really comfortable.”"
Next. 3 coaches more annoying than Dabo Swinney. dark
Styles should be ready to have a strong spring as it could translate into a starting role. And once on the field, with all that talent and natural ability that Styles possesses, look out for a breakout sophomore season from the Pickerington native.