Head coach Ryan Day has spent the last week retooling the roster to get Ohio State ready for the next season. But on Tuesday, everything changed. One of the program’s most trusted defensive voices was closing a four-year chapter in Columbus. LB Sonny Styles, a three-year starter, team captain, and 2025 Block O recipient, announced he’s going pro. 

“First and foremost, I want to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ,” Sonny Styles began his statement on X on January 14. “I’m an imperfect man serving a perfect God. He has continually shown favor in my life and blessed me with so many opportunities.”

He expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him on his journey. This included his parents and siblings, his Ohio State teammates, whom he considered his second family, and all the coaches who helped shape him from his youth football days to his time in Columbus.

Most importantly, he honored his father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., who coached him in every sport since the age of four and served as his role model throughout.

“I’m excited to take this next step and represent my Lord, my family, and the Ohio State university as I officially declare for the 2026 NFL draft. Go Bucks!!,” he concluded.

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Sonny Styles’ Ohio State career began earlier than most. He reclassified in 2022 to enroll a year ahead of schedule, arriving as a five-star prospect, the nation’s No. 2 safety, and one of the most physically advanced DBs in the class.

A Pickerington Central product, he did not redshirt and contributed immediately, learning multiple positions and steadily climbing the depth chart. His positional evolution defined his career. 

Sonny Styles started at safety, handled nickel responsibilities as a sophomore, then shifted deeper in the secondary due to injuries. Ahead of his junior season, Ohio State moved him to linebacker. By the end of it, he was the defensive unit’s anchor.

According to draft analysts, Styles is one of the tallest, longest linebackers in the game. He lines up mostly on the weak side, often shaded over an opposing slot receiver. His experience as a DB shows up in his excellent coverage skills. He is known to use his hands to disrupt route timing when working in shallow zones. But considering his prospects, he does have only one career interception. Even though he played safety before, he is too big for the modern safety role and will probably be used as a linebacker in the NFL.

In 2024, he finished second on the team with 100 tackles, adding 10.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. Ahead of the 2025 season, he was named one of OSU’s four captains alongside Caleb Downs, Austin Siereveld, and Brandon Inniss. 

This past season, Styles recorded 83 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble in 14 games. Across four seasons with Ryan Day, he totaled 245 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and nine passes defended. He has earned first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American honors. It is o surprise why NFL evaluators are high on him. 

Ryan Day has been public in his acknowledgement of his star, calling Styles “one of the best-looking linebackers since I’ve been here” and praising his professionalism as early as his freshman season.

Sonny Styles now joins a loaded group of Buckeyes declaring for the draft, including Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, Carnell Tate, and Kayden McDonald. All five rank inside Mel Kiper’s top 20.

Though it is a good reflection of Ohio State’s developmental pipeline, it is also a stark reminder of the roster gaps Ryan Day must now fill. That brings the Buckeyes squarely back to the transfer portal conversation.

Ryan Day reloads the defense through the portal

As Sonny Styles exits, Ryan Day is aggressively restocking the defense. Ohio State has already landed Alabama defensive lineman James Smith and edge rusher Qua Russaw, two of the most coveted defenders in the portal. But the Bucks are not slowing down.

Sources indicate the Buckeyes are trending to land another Alabama transfer, safety Cameron Calhoun, a former Utah transfer who appeared in 14 games for the Tide in 2025. If finalized, he would join Florida State safety Earl Little Jr. and Duke safety Terry Moore in a revamped secondary.

Ohio State has added 11 transfers so far and continues to evaluate multiple positions. Wide receiver remains under review, with LSU’s Kyle Parker and Kennesaw State’s Christian Moss drawing interest. Parker’s prior relationship with WRs coach Cortez Hankton keeps the Buckeyes involved despite Auburn’s momentum. There are also rumors floating around, mostly by Colin Cowherd, that the Buckeyes could be in the running for Syracuse WR Johntay Cook II, who entered the portal a week ago.

The biggest news currently comes in the special teams unit. Ryan Day just managed to sign a new kicker in Connor Hawkins. The freshman from Baylor emerged as a priority after converting 18 of 22 field goals in 2025. The heartbreaks from misses by Fielding will be a thing of the past for the Buckeye fanbase.

The truth is, leadership like Sonny Styles’ is irreplaceable. But Ryan Day isn’t missing a beat. The Buckeyes are locked and ready for another championship run in 2026.