Ohio State Football Recruiting: 5-Star Safety Sonny Styles Commits for 2022

Steve Helwagen, 247Sports.com

Safety prospect Sonny Styles is reportedly "reclassifying from the 2023 class to the 2022 class and will sign with Ohio State on Wednesday in the early signing period," according to Tom VanHaaren of ESPN. 

Styles, a 5-star prospect from Pickerington Central in Ohio, is considered the No. 13 player in the Class of 2022, the No. 1 safety and the No. 2 player from Ohio, per 247Sports.com's Composite Rankings.

Allen Trieu of the scouting service called Styles a "physical prototype with height [and] length" who is "already well into his physical development as a high school junior."

He added that there are questions about whether Styles will end up being more of a linebacker or a hybrid safety given his size (6'4" and 215 pounds), though he has the athleticism to play safety at the next level. 

That potential versatility makes him intriguing. Trier noted the "likelihood is he continues to grow towards being in the front seven, but will be a unique athlete at that spot who can still move around and play different roles. The possibilities for him are numerous because of a rare skill set and measurables."

Styles is taking a similar route to quarterback Quinn Ewers, who last year reclassified and joined the Buckeyes.

Ewers won't be long for the Buckeyes, however—he plans to enter the transfer portal and leave Columbus after just one season, which doesn't come as a huge surprise after freshman C.J. Stroud was a Heisman finalist this year and looks to have a vise grip on the starting quarterback job for at least one more year. 

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As for Ohio State's Class of 2022, it remains loaded, coming in at No. 4 in 247Sports.com's Composite Rankings. Styles is one of two 5-star prospects in the class, joined by linebacker C.J. Hicks, while the Buckeyes have 14 incoming 4-star players.