Ohio State Buckeyes safety/linebacker Sonny Styles is projected to be one of the top defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft. He isn’t the only Buckeyes defensive player who will be drafted in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Safety Caleb Downs could be one of the Top 5 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Ohio State had a lot of players drafted in 2025. Styles has a chance to make Ohio State’s defense even better during the 2025 college football season. The Buckeyes won the National Title in 2024 and are looking to repeat. They will have a ton of NFL talent on the field in 2025.
Fox Sports Has Ohio State Buckeyes Sonny Styles As a First Round Choice In 2026
Rob Rang of Fox Sports created his way too early mock draft for 2026. He has several Ohio State players going in the first round, including linebacker/safety Styles. He has him going 21st overall to the Minnesota Vikings. Styles is 6’4″ and weighs 235 lbs. Rang said,
“Scouts can check a lot of boxes with Styles, an NFL legacy who began his college career at safety before emerging at linebacker during the Buckeyes‘ championship run a year ago. As his experience in the secondary suggests, Styles is a top-notch athlete, but it’s his disruptive play nearer the line of scrimmage against Texas in the Cotton Bowl (three tackles for loss, including a sack) that will have scouts most intrigued.”
During the 2024 season with Ohio State, he recorded 100 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and also had five pass deflections. Styles will be one of the fiercest players on this defense along with Downs.
With the fact that Ohio State having two blue chip prospects on the defensive side of the football in 2025 potentially heading to the NFL, this is going to make this defense elite. Simon will be a linebacker who will make noise in college football in 2025 and NFL teams who need linebacker help will scout him heavily.
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