Field Yates cites one stat that should have NFL teams fighting to draft Sonny Styles

All eyes will be on Sonny Styles tomorrow. The on-field portion of the NFL Combine starts tomorrow, and it's a stacked group of defensive tackles, edge rushers and linebackers. Styles is expected to post some of the best, if not the best testing numbers for his position.

While Vell Reese and Caleb Downs are more known quantities, especially if Reese decides to go all-in as an edge rusher, it's Styles that might be the most intriguing. The safety-turned-linebacker has generally been projected to go in the top half of the first round, but some mocks have him as high as fifth. Mel Kiper's recent mock has Styles going seventh overall and his ESPN co-worker, Field Yates, believes that he has traits that could see him move even higher.

"If you just stack him up against every safety in the league, he looks incredibly unique. Maybe Kyle Hamilton is the only one that comes anywhere close to him, body stature wise," Yates said. "But if you stack him up against other linebackers....he still looks unique! The fact that he looks like a cyborg as a linebacker, and he was playing safety just two seasons ago in 2023 is pretty ridiculous."

In terms of physical stature, Styles looks the part. His size and length stand out and Styles' athletic profile is off the charts. But what really excites Yates is the improvements Styles has made on the technical side.

"Last year, 2024, his first year playing full-time linebacker, [Styles] was not buttoned-up enough as a tackler, 17 missed tackles in 2024," Yates added. "That number dropped to [two] in 2025. So he was the third-best, at least using true media's tackle percentage number, in that category in all the FBS last season."

Those numbers show that Styles still has plenty of room to grow. He is already outstanding in coverage and a physical tackler with athleticism to burn. The team that drafts Styles will get afranchise-type talent on defense.