Sonny Styles
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Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
The closer we get to the NFL draft, the more it’s beginning to seem like Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is destined to drop out of the Top 10.
The latest mock draft from Pro Football Focus has Styles going to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12 overall — a sharp drop from where he’s been in recent mock drafts, which saw him going as high as No. 5 overall to the New York Giants.
While we can make the argument that Styles is going to ball out wherever he lands, the difference between the No. 5 and No. 12 pick in the draft, in terms of money, is considerable.
According to the NFL’s rookie pay scale, Styles would receive a 4-year, $45.6 million rookie contract with the Giants. If Styles drops to the Cowboys, he receives a 4-year, $25 million rookie contract.
“The fourth-ranked player on PFF’s big board falling to 12th overall would be quite a surprise, but we have seen elite front-seven combine performers fall in drafts before,” PFF’s Daire Carragher wrote. “It is also worth noting that many evaluators do not classify linebacker as a premium position. You can trust Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys to stop the slide and claim the headlines. Beyond his physical attributes, Styles excelled at getting ball carriers to the ground this past season. He led the team in PFF tackling grade (91.6) and recorded just two missed tackles on 90 total attempts.”
Growing Consensus for Styles at No. 12 Overall Pick
The Cowboys have 2 picks in the 1st round — they go again at No. 20 overall — and while it’s anybody’s guess about what they might do with that pick, it seems like a growing consensus that if Styles is at No. 12 overall, he’s going to the Cowboys.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has the Cowboys selecting Styles. ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft had the Cowboys selecting Styles there as well.
“Picking at the same slot where they drafted Micah Parsons five years ago, the Cowboys fill the void left by Parsons’ trade to Green Bay with Styles,” Reuter wrote. “Like Parsons when he was coming out of Penn State, Styles profiles as a very good second-level defender who is quite capable of chasing quarterbacks when given the chance.”
Sonny Styles Turned in Historic Combine Showing
In front of all of the NFL’s most important decision makers, Styles not only ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.46 seconds and broad jumped 11-feet, 2 inches, but he also registered a mind-melting 43.5-inch vertical leap — the best anyone at his position has jumped in over 20 years.
“To put Styles’ vertical jump into context, it was better than Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who at 6-5, 239 pounds, had a 42½-inch vertical jump at the 2007 combine,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote. “Styles’ jump was also better than current Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, whose 43-inch jump was the best at the 2025 combine.”
If Styles does go in the 1st 7 picks, he could be 1 of 4 Ohio State players who do so, which would be an NFL record.