FOX Sports' Joel Klatt sees the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finding their next Lavonte David in the 2026 NFL draft with Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles, who could be available at the No. 15 selection this April.
Klatt called Styles the best MLB in the draft, lauding his versatility that spans from wearing the green dot helmet to having played safety earlier in his career. Klatt also commented on Styles' relatively young age after three years in Columbus.
"Lavonte David is 36 and a free agent. So, the Buccaneers are probably looking at replacing this offseason or sometime soon. Styles is the best inside linebacker in the draft, showing he can do it all at Ohio State this past season. He actually started his college career at safety, but they moved him to linebacker because of his massive 6-foot-5 frame. He's also got three years of starting experience, and he's still just 21 years old," Klatt said.
While Klatt sees the 36-year-old as a potential flight risk, David commented earlier in the offseason that it's either Tampa or retirement moving forward.
"Ultimately, they leave it in my hands," David said to Kay Adams on Up & Adams. "It's up to me and what I want to do... If Bowles didn't come back, there'd be no shot, to be honest with you."
"It's Bucs or nowhere else. I played my 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they've been real, they've been loyal to me — the fans have been real loyal to me and my family. I've grown to love the city... me being somewhere else, it wouldn't feel right."
Truthfully, Styles' future could depend on David's, if the Bucs are on the clock and seriously looking to select the All-American.
Sonny Styles still has raw skills for the NFL
Styles, like fellow likely first-round pick Arvell Reese, often overwhelm opposing offensive lines with athleticism at the linebacker position. Reese is seen as the best player in the draft, and Styles faces the potential to slide to the end of the first round, because the latter isn't as polished as many NFL teams would like.
Styles is elite when he's outrunning pass protection on the outside, but he can stand to improve when trying to plug gaps. That's the case with his defending the run as well.
As Styles moves on from The Ohio State University to Tampa Bay, or one of the other 31 franchises, he enters the league with unlimited potential, in the hands of the right coaching staff, of course.