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Sonny Styles is this year's workout warrior. The other side of that coin is that most of his tape matches the workout numbers. A player like Styles is catnip to evaluators. 6'5, 245 pounds, a 4.46 forty, 1.56 10-yd split, an almost 44" vertical and a 4.26 20-yd shuttle. When a player is that elite athletically, it would take low production or character issues to deter NFL teams. Styles had neither.
Styles is not going to reset history with his production, but it was by far good enough to consider him in the top 5 of this draft. After two seasons at safety, Styles made the conversion to linebacker. His numbers doubled after the switch. 182 tackles, 54 solo, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, an interception, eight pass deflections and two forced fumbles as a linebacker over the last two seasons.
NFL's Lance Zierlein's NFL comp for Styles is Fred Warner. Arguably the best all-around linebacker currently in the NFL. Several NFL insiders have reported team officials across the league are blown away by Styles as a prospect. If Styles is still on the board after pick 5 it will be surprising.
Here's a look at where Styles is projected to land in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sonny Styles NFL Draft projections
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr - No. 7 Washington Commanders
The Commanders couldn't stop anyone last season, and linebacker Bobby Wagner appears to be headed elsewhere as a free agent. Bringing in Styles -- my No. 6 prospect regardless of position -- to team up with Frankie Luvu and new addition Leo Chenal makes some sense. After a 77-tackle season, Styles posted an incredible 43½-inch vertical jump at the combine, a glimpse into his explosion. Washington needs good ball players, and Styles is just that.
The Ringer's Todd McShay - No. 7 Washington Commanders
Linebacker isn’t as big a need for the Commanders as guard, running back, or wide receiver, but Styles would pair beautifully with newly acquired LB Leo Chenal for a defense that ranked dead last in total yards allowed last season. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with an 81-inch wingspan and 10-inch hands, Styles is a physical phenom. He was the biggest linebacker at this year’s combine, ran the fastest 10-yard split (1.56), tied Arvell Reese for the fastest 40 (4.46), and had the most explosive jumps (43.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2-inch broad). On the field, Styles (a former safety) has elite cover skills, and while his pass rush production and efficiency often get overlooked, the 2024 tape is pretty damn good. He’s everything you look for in a versatile, dynamic chess piece at linebacker in today’s NFL.
NFL Network's Rhett Lewis - No. 5 New York Giants
Ohio State lost the Big Ten Championship Game to Indiana, but Styles was the best defensive player on the field. Seemed like he made every tackle. Throw in his wildly impressive Combine performance and it's clear that Styles isn’t any ordinary off-ball linebacker -- he's a defensive cornerstone with impact play production.
ESPN's Peter Schrager - No. 7 Washington Commanders
I believe Washington is going to go defense; it gave up 6.0 yards per play in 2025, tied for third worst. Styles shows a lot of the same traits that Fred Warner has displayed in San Francisco, and GM Adam Peters -- who came from San Francisco -- knows what Warner has meant for the 49ers all these years. Styles had 77 tackles as a sideline-to-sideline defender last season and then lit up the combine with a smooth 4.46 in the 40-yard dash and a 43½-inch vertical jump. I like this fit.
Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald - No. 4 Tennessee Titans
The Titans really need to keep adding to their offensive skill players and continue to add speed around Cam Ward. And I’m sure new head coach Robert Saleh would love to keep adding to the defensive line after a flurry of moves this offseason, just like the defenses he’s helmed in the past have had. What those 49ers defenses also had that allowed Saleh to live in zone coverages was the game’s premier linebacker in Fred Warner. (His Jets defenses also had a strong duo in C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams, too). Styles has the talent, smarts, and skills to be that man in the middle to solidify the whole unit. Ward still needs help, but the thought of Styles flying around behind Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers has me giddy.
CBS Sports' Garrett Podell - No. 9 Kansas City Chiefs
Sonny Styles would provide a much-needed shot of athleticism and playmaking. Linebacker Leo Chenal left for the Washington Commanders in free agency. They also lost both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the Los Angeles Rams, but general manager Brett Veach will draft the player at the top of his board.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler Big Board ranking - No. 4 overall
Styles is an outstanding size-speed athlete who is comfortable in space, reacts well to what he sees and plays with the physicality to mark up the stat sheet. With elite subpackage value, he has the talent to become an impact linebacker early in his NFL career.
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