Sonny Styles Hyped by NFL Draft Scout, 'Big as S--t, Fast as S--t, Smart as S--t'

Off-ball linebackers tend to be devalued at the NFL draft compared to other positions, at least early in the first round. But Ohio State's Sonny Styles makes as good an argument as any to be a top-10 selection.

"He's a stud," a scout told The Athletic's Jeff Howe. "Big as s--t, fast as s--t, smart as s--t, committed, everything you want—just not a high value position. Ten years from now looking back, you'll be like, 'Wow, what a pick, a five-time All-Pro player who's being compared to (Hall of Famer Luke) Kuechly and those freak linebackers.'"

The B/R NFL Scouting Department ranked Styles as the No. 6 overall prospect on its latest big board and projected him to go No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders on its latest mock draft, so it's unlikely the star linebacker will be waiting to hear his name called for long.

Styles posted 182 tackles (17 for loss), seven sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and eight passes defensed over the past two seasons alone. He also emerged as a leader for the Buckeyes.

"He's a great kid," an executive told Howe. "He will probably be a CEO when he's done playing. He's incredibly impressive with how he presents himself."