Ohio State Buckeyes LB coach James Laurinaitis believes Sonny Styles has the instincts to thrive in the NFL after overseeing the draft prospect's incredible development over his final two seasons in Columbus.
After the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, this past weekend, Laurinaitis shared praise that painted a picture in great detail of how Styles can make adjustments mid-game with the green dot helmet.
"He has a really uncanny sense of when it’s time to pull your trigger," Laurinaitis told FOX Sports' Ben Arthur. "I’ll just go over to him and be like, ‘Hey, you see play 3?' [He’s like,] ‘Yeah, I already saw. I have to get here, or so-and-so has got to get here, or maybe I should make this stunt call. It’s already been processed in his brain, so it’s more collaborative."
"Every NFL person I’ve talked to about Sonny Styles, I’ve said, ‘Look, he’s only played linebacker two seasons of his entire life.' So you’re getting a guy who’s going to get way more comfortable [because] the game is finally slowing down for him at that level on the defense. You’re not getting a fully formed guy yet, which I think is very scary.
"He just felt like he couldn’t be blocked. Every block that he was taking on, it was like he was letting it be known. It was the most I’d seen him kind of talk trash, and it was just like he played big boy football that day. And it continued on against Indiana [in the Big Ten title game]. He was in a stretch of games at the end of the season where you could just tell the physicality and violence he was playing with."
"He balances that looseness of clowning around and having fun with the guys with this seriousness of locking in and when to lock in. He has a good feel for both. So you’re never too uptight at practice, but I think he’s tuned into what’s happening to everybody around him. He’s always paying attention. He’s always inquiring. He’ll be at every single community outreach and charity function that an organization does. And then you match all the freakish athletic ability to it with the work ethic, you’re like, ‘Holy smokes, no wonder this dude is such a special talent and person.’"
Sonny Styles' stock meteorically rising ahead of the NFL draft
Styles is looking like an NFL Combine favorite after running a 4.46 40-yard dash and reaching 43.5 inches on his vertical. With fellow Buckeye Caleb Downs' stock falling after troubling findings on his ACL, there is room for multiple risers.
Styles figures to be one, potentially pushing into the top 10 alongside teammates Arvel Reese, who could go No. 2 to the New York Jets, even though he wants to be taken by the Cleveland Browns, and Carnell Tate, who could be taken shortly after that.
Ohio State players are making a name for themselves ahead of the 2026 draft. Styles could end up being the biggest winner of the pre-draft process of any Buckeye looking to hear Roger Goodell call out his name on April 23.