In the NFL Draft, there's often a discussion over positional value as teams like to take players who play certain positions over others. Among the positions teams always shy away from at the top of the NFL Draft is off ball linebacker as it's easier to find a high level starter later in the draft. In this year's draft class, Sonny Styles is taking that sentiment and making teams reconsider everything.
Before the NFL Combine even began, Sonny Styles had a case as the best overall prospect in this class. The safety turned linebacker racked up 83 tackles with a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception at the center of a dominant Ohio State defense. While many expected Sonny Styles to test well, he blew every expectation out of the water.
Sonny Styles may have set a Top 5 floor in the NFL Draft
Before the NFL Combine, Sonny Styles ranked 12th on the Consensus Big Board which factors in hundreds of expert's draft rankings and mock drafts. Leaving the NFL Combine, Sonny Styles may not fall past the 5th Overall Pick, and he may be the best overall prospect in a class loaded with defensive stars.
Sonny Styles blew everyone away with his time in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, and the broad jump making history in the process.
Players to run sub-4.5 with a 40+ inch vertical and a 11+ foot broad jump at 230+ pounds since 2003…
— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) February 27, 2026
2026 Sonny Styles (244 pounds)@OhioStateFB
Relative Athletic score is a great tool for measuring prospects historically, and Sonny Styles would've set perfect marks at Linebacker, Safety, Cornerback, and Wide Receiver speaking to how insane of an athlete he is.
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 27, 2026
If there were any doubts about Sonny Styles coming into the week, they're erased as he's shown he's more than capable of jumping right into the NFL and looking the part. The question now becomes which teams are willing to go after an off-ball linebacker at the top of the draft.
The Arizona Cardinals need to continue adding blue chip players on defense, and Sonny Styles could see his range start with the 3rd overall pick. The Titans are now led by Robert Saleh who coached Fred Warner in San Francisco, and it may be hard to pass him up 4th overall. John Harbaugh's Giants may be the floor for Styles as Bobby Okereke has one year left on his deal which could make Styles the next exciting piece in this defense.