Styles in 2025
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| Washington Commanders | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Roster status | Unsigned draft pick |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 24, 2004 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 244 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) |
| College | Ohio State (2022–2025) |
| NFL draft | 2026: 1st round, 7th overall |
| Career history | |
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| Awards and highlights | |
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| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Alexander "Sonny" Styles (born November 24, 2004) is an American professional football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Styles played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning the 2024 national championship prior to being selected seventh overall by the Commanders in the 2026 NFL draft. He is the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles and the younger brother of cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Early life
Styles was born on November 24, 2004, in Columbus, Ohio.[1] He attended Pickerington High School Central in Pickerington, Ohio, where he recorded 88 tackles, a sack, two pass deflections, six interceptions, and a forced fumble during his career.[2] In a televised game against rival Pickerington High School North in 2020, he had nine tackles, an interception, and a blocked punt.[3] Styles also teamed with Devin Royal to help win the 2022 Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) basketball state championship. Rated a five-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Buckeyes of Ohio State University.[4]
College career
Styles recorded nine tackles as a freshman safety for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2022.[5] He was named the starter ahead of the 2023 season.[6] Styles was named the player of the game in the season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.[7] He converted to linebacker in 2024 and was named a team co-captain in 2025, earning All-American honors by The Sporting News that season after recording over 80 tackles, an interception, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble.[8][9]
| Year | Team | G | Tackles | Interceptions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmb | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sck | FF | Int | Yds | TD | PD | |||
| 2022 | Ohio State | 10 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2023 | Ohio State | 13 | 53 | 32 | 21 | 4.5 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 16 | 100 | 48 | 52 | 10.5 | 6 | 1 | – | – | – | 5 |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 14 | 82 | 46 | 36 | 6.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | – | 3 |
| Career[10] | 53 | 244 | 131 | 113 | 22.5 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9 | |
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
244 lb (111 kg) |
32+7⁄8 in (0.84 m) |
10 in (0.25 m) |
6 ft 8+7⁄8 in (2.05 m) |
4.46 s | 1.56 s | 2.62 s | 4.26 s | 7.09 s | 43.5 in (1.10 m) |
11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) |
|
| All values from NFL Combine[11][12] | ||||||||||||
Styles was selected by the Washington Commanders in the first round, seventh overall, of the 2026 NFL draft.[13]
Personal life
Styles is the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles and younger brother of cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr., who was also selected in the 2026 NFL draft.[14][15]
References
- ^ Brugler, Dane. "Sonny Styles - The Beast 2026". The Athletic. The New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ^ "Sonny Styles Football Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Teague Robinson, Cameron (August 18, 2023). "Ohio State football's next big thing? How Sonny Styles has prepared for a Buckeyes breakout". The Athletic. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Joey (November 13, 2021). "Pickerington Central five-star safety Sonny Styles commits to Ohio State football". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ "Sonny Styles 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Joey (August 21, 2023). "Sonny Styles earns starting safety role for Ohio State football". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ "PLAYERS OF THE GAME: CADE STOVER AND SONNY STYLES EARN TOP HONORS FOR PERFORMANCES IN OHIO STATE'S SEASON OPENER AGAINST INDIANA". Eleven Warriors. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Joey (March 7, 2024). "Why Ohio State football is switching Sonny Styles from safety to linebacker". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ^ Bender, Bill (December 17, 2025). "The Sporting News 2025 College Football All-America Team". The Sporting News. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ^ "Sonny Styles". College Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ Reuter, Chad; Zierlein, Lance. "Sonny Styles Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ "Sonny Styles College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ Carpenter, Les (April 24, 2026). "Commanders draft Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with No. 7 pick". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ^ Blackledge, Steve. "Styles family savoring final time together with Pickerington Central football team". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Baird, Nathan (April 29, 2023). "What Lorenzo Styles Jr.'s transfer commitment means for Ohio State football". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
External links
