Sonny Styles
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NFL insider Jason La Canfora has predicted that the Giants will draft Sonny Styles
The New York Giants have been busy this offseason, but they still have some work to do. Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence recently requested a trade from the team with his contract situation not being resolved, and with the 2026 NFL Draft drawing near, that has created another issue that the front office has to find a way to solve.
Considering how New York is armed with the No. 5 overall selection in the draft, its primary focus right now involves finding a way to make the most of this pick. There are several different avenues the team could take here, but according to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, it sounds like the Giants may have their sights set on Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles.
Giants Predicted to Draft Sonny Styles
The Giants have a rising young core that has given the team reason for hope heading into the 2026 campaign. And yet, there are still several areas of need that New York needs to address. While it has a trio of star pass rushers (Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux), the team could still use some help at the middle linebacker position.
That’s precisely where Styles could fit in with this group. Styles is a versatile defender who began his career at Ohio State as a safety before switching to linebacker in 2024. Last season, he picked up 82 tackles, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and three pass breakups in 14 games of action.
New head coach John Harbaugh just did great work turning Kyle Hamilton into one of the most versatile defenders in the league before he got fired by the Baltimore Ravens, and Styles is a player who fits a similar mold. According to La Canfora, New York is high on Styles, and if he falls to them, he very well could find his way to New York.
“We keep hearing new Giants coach John Harbaugh loves him,” La Canfora said of Styles. “And we think Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson could tap into his hybrid skillset like he did with safety-turned-weak-side linebacker Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore.”
Should the Giants Draft Sonny Styles?
Sonny Styles
GettyOhio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
The main question mark for the Giants when it comes to Styles right now revolves around whether or not he is going to fall to the No. 5 pick. Styles is reportedly an option to get selected by the New York Jets with the No. 2 pick, and even if they don’t take him, the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans both could conceivably select him before the Giants have a shot to do so.
Arizona has been linked heavily to offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, though, and Tennessee could conceivably target a true pass rusher like Arvell Reese or Rueben Bain Jr. instead of an off-the-ball linebacker like Styles. There’s no doubt that Styles would be a great fit for New York, but he may not be on the board by the time it is on the clock. If he is, though, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the Giants pounce on him.