Brett Ludwiczak
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Sonny Styles is in line for a huge season after moving to linebacker
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After spending his for two years as a Buckeye at safety, now is the perfect time for Styles to move to linebacker
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
Growing up in Pickerington and being the son of a former Buckeye, Sonny Styles was on the radar of Ohio State fans for quite some time before committing to the school, choosing the Buckeyes over schools like Clemson, Florida, and Notre Dame. Not only was Styles a five-star football recruit in high school, but he was also an outstanding basketball player, leading to some dreaming of Styles playing for the Ohio State basketball team after football season ended.
Originally Styles was a part of Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, but he reclassified and graduated after his junior season, allowing him to move into the 2022 recruiting class of the Buckeyes. Not only did Styles enroll in classes at Ohio State in June 2022, he played most of his freshman season as a 17-year-old since he didn’t turn 18 until November. Styles appeared in 12 games as a freshman, recording nine tackles, with one of those stops being behind the line of scrimmage.
Heading into the 2023 season, Styles was the nickel safety in Jim Knowles’ defense but was forced to strong safety when starter Lathan Ransom was injured. While Styles finished with 53 tackles, including career-high games of seven tackles against Rutgers and Michigan, the writing has been on the wall for a while that the future for Styles is at linebacker because of his size. The move likely would have happened earlier but with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers at linebacker over the last few years, Knowles had to find any way he could to get Styles on the field because of his tremendous physical abilities.
Now with Eichenberg and Chambers having graduated, this is the perfect time for Styles to move to linebacker ahead of his junior season. Returning starter Cody Simon is slated to occupy one of the linebacker spots in Knowles’ 4-2-5 defense, while Styles and C.J. Hicks are “neck-and-neck” for the other starting spot according to Knowles. Styles does have a bit of an edge because he has been on the field a lot more in his career than Hicks, who has struggled to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25558492/usa_today_21827847.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Styles should be able to flourish at linebacker because he gets better the closer he gets to the line of scrimmage. At safety, Styles had a lot of responsibilities covering shifty slot receivers and downfield threats. Even though Styles did all he could to make sure they didn’t get the ball when targeted, his size put him at a disadvantage against some of those quicker wide receivers. At linebacker, Styles will be covering more tight ends and running backs, which will provide him with better matchups. Plus, from all the time he spent at safety Styles has a better perspective of the defense.
What will also be a huge benefit to Styles as he moves to linebacker is he has one of the best linebackers to ever wear the scarlet and gray coaching him. After spending last season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff, James Laurinaitis was named Ohio State’s linebackers coach during the offseason. Not only will the knowledge Laurinaitis has for playing linebacker be immeasurable for Styles’ transition to the position, but the infectious energy and heart Laurinaitis played with, and now coaches with will drive Styles to reach his full potential and beyond.
Now comes the question of which Styles will have the better career at Ohio State. Lorenzo Styles Sr. set the bar pretty high by being named first-team All-Big Ten in 1993 and 1994 before being selected in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft following his junior season. Sonny Styles certainly has the tools to be even better than his father, and this season could be a breakout season for Sonny if he is able to adapt to life at linebacker quickly. Also on the roster is Lorenzo Styles Jr., who started his career at wide receiver at Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State to play defensive back.
Ohio State really does have an embarrassment of riches at safety. Along with Ransom returning to Columbus with a sour taste in his mouth after he was injured last season, the Buckeyes were able to take advantage of Nick Saban’s retirement by bringing in Alabama safety Caleb Downs, who was phenomenal as a freshman last season. The surplus of talent at the position moves Styles to a position that is actually a better fit for him. Even though there is a massive amount of returning talent throughout the defense, Styles could end up being the x-factor of the unit because of how good he can be. The rest of the Big Ten and college football should be on notice.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After spending his for two years as a Buckeye at safety, now is the perfect time for Styles to move to linebacker
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
Growing up in Pickerington and being the son of a former Buckeye, Sonny Styles was on the radar of Ohio State fans for quite some time before committing to the school, choosing the Buckeyes over schools like Clemson, Florida, and Notre Dame. Not only was Styles a five-star football recruit in high school, but he was also an outstanding basketball player, leading to some dreaming of Styles playing for the Ohio State basketball team after football season ended.
Originally Styles was a part of Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, but he reclassified and graduated after his junior season, allowing him to move into the 2022 recruiting class of the Buckeyes. Not only did Styles enroll in classes at Ohio State in June 2022, he played most of his freshman season as a 17-year-old since he didn’t turn 18 until November. Styles appeared in 12 games as a freshman, recording nine tackles, with one of those stops being behind the line of scrimmage.
Heading into the 2023 season, Styles was the nickel safety in Jim Knowles’ defense but was forced to strong safety when starter Lathan Ransom was injured. While Styles finished with 53 tackles, including career-high games of seven tackles against Rutgers and Michigan, the writing has been on the wall for a while that the future for Styles is at linebacker because of his size. The move likely would have happened earlier but with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers at linebacker over the last few years, Knowles had to find any way he could to get Styles on the field because of his tremendous physical abilities.
Now with Eichenberg and Chambers having graduated, this is the perfect time for Styles to move to linebacker ahead of his junior season. Returning starter Cody Simon is slated to occupy one of the linebacker spots in Knowles’ 4-2-5 defense, while Styles and C.J. Hicks are “neck-and-neck” for the other starting spot according to Knowles. Styles does have a bit of an edge because he has been on the field a lot more in his career than Hicks, who has struggled to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school.
Styles should be able to flourish at linebacker because he gets better the closer he gets to the line of scrimmage. At safety, Styles had a lot of responsibilities covering shifty slot receivers and downfield threats. Even though Styles did all he could to make sure they didn’t get the ball when targeted, his size put him at a disadvantage against some of those quicker wide receivers. At linebacker, Styles will be covering more tight ends and running backs, which will provide him with better matchups. Plus, from all the time he spent at safety Styles has a better perspective of the defense.
What will also be a huge benefit to Styles as he moves to linebacker is he has one of the best linebackers to ever wear the scarlet and gray coaching him. After spending last season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff, James Laurinaitis was named Ohio State’s linebackers coach during the offseason. Not only will the knowledge Laurinaitis has for playing linebacker be immeasurable for Styles’ transition to the position, but the infectious energy and heart Laurinaitis played with, and now coaches with will drive Styles to reach his full potential and beyond.
Now comes the question of which Styles will have the better career at Ohio State. Lorenzo Styles Sr. set the bar pretty high by being named first-team All-Big Ten in 1993 and 1994 before being selected in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft following his junior season. Sonny Styles certainly has the tools to be even better than his father, and this season could be a breakout season for Sonny if he is able to adapt to life at linebacker quickly. Also on the roster is Lorenzo Styles Jr., who started his career at wide receiver at Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State to play defensive back.
Ohio State really does have an embarrassment of riches at safety. Along with Ransom returning to Columbus with a sour taste in his mouth after he was injured last season, the Buckeyes were able to take advantage of Nick Saban’s retirement by bringing in Alabama safety Caleb Downs, who was phenomenal as a freshman last season. The surplus of talent at the position moves Styles to a position that is actually a better fit for him. Even though there is a massive amount of returning talent throughout the defense, Styles could end up being the x-factor of the unit because of how good he can be. The rest of the Big Ten and college football should be on notice.
Continue reading...