Sonny Styles’ college life at Columbus began with playing safety for Ohio State, and he dominated in the role. However, the legacy of his Super Bowl-winning linebacker father was a destiny he couldn’t ignore. And it took a Buckeye legend to finally get him there.

Ohio State legend James Laurinaitis was promoted by the Buckeyes in 2024 as a linebackers coach. Among his major moves was identifying that Styles could fit into a linebacker role. Laurinaitis likes his zone coverage instincts, pre-snap diagnosis, and rare athleticism. It almost felt like watching Sonny’s father, Lorenzo, play again, as he did at OSU in the 1990s. Styles now credits Laurinaitis for his successful role change.

“Having coach James Laurinaitis. He’s an obviously historic player here at Ohio State, playing in the NFL for a long time, an amazing player, and he had lots of information,” Styles said about his linebackers coach at Ohio State on March 17. The biggest shift Styles had to make was adapting to the big offensive linemen’s physicality. He learned block destruction and eventually moved away from his free-hitter role, establishing himself as a linebacker.

“Now I’m not the free hitter. Now I’m always accounted for. Someone’s coming up to me. I’ve got to be elite at block destruction, or I’m not going to be an elite linebacker. So it’s definitely something I had to work on,” Styles said. Transitioning to the linebacker position, his 243-lb frame meant he could be physical while also being agile in blocking the run.

And the results were quick for Jim Knowles’ defense. Styles accumulated 100 tackles and six sacks over the Buckeyes’ national championship-winning campaign in 2024. And they never looked back. Even when Knowles left for Penn State, his successor, Matt Patricia, continued to utilize Styles in a similar role. What helped him was the continuity offered by Laurinaitis continuing in the same role under the new defensive coordinator.

Laurinaitis’ status as a Buckeye legend needs no retelling. The Wayzata, Minnesota, native played for the team from 2005 to 2008 and won the Butkus Award, as well as being named a 2007 Unanimous All-American. In the NFL, he was the solo tackles leader in 2012 with the St. Louis Rams, the same team with which Sonny’s father won a Super Bowl a decade earlier.

With that kind of experience guiding Sonny, no one could have stopped his success. Finishing up the 2024 season, Styles prepared for 2025 with a new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia. Whatever defensive basics remained for Styles to learn, he retained under Patricia’s guidance.

“Coach Patricia was great, my second year, he helped me as well,” Styles said. “And then talking with my dad, he used to play at Ohio State, so we talked about the linebacker, so it was awesome.”

That transition to the LB position has made Styles a top-10 draft prospect in this year’s NFL draft.

Sonny Styles credits a former OSU teammate for helping him become a prolific linebacker

Apart from Patricia and James Laurinaitis, Styles also absorbed whatever learnings he could from former OSU linebacker Cody Simon. Simon played for the Buckeyes for five years and had his breakthrough season in 2024. In that year, the 6’2″ and 230 lb LB notched 112 tackles, defended 7 passes, and accumulated 7 sacks. As Simon charted his NFL journey as a round four pick to the Cardinals, he passed on the baton to Sonny Styles.

“Talking a lot to Cody when I first switched; he’s been playing linebacker for a while,” Styles said about Cody’s influence on him. Owing to a unique journey Styles undertook, he may yet surpass his father’s NFL legacy. Styles has a knack for playing as a Mike, Will, overhang, or even nickel and knows how to use his arms effectively. Never mind that he had a dominant Combine performance to boost his draft stock.

The OSU veteran clocked the 40 in just 4.46 seconds and did the 10-yard split in 1.56 seconds. His vertical jump was all the more impressive at 43.5 inches, and he accumulated a total score of 94, the highest in the linebackers group. That dominant Combine performance, along with his versatility and production, might just make him a top-5 pick in this year’s NFL draft.