This Ohio State Buckeyes Veteran Has Established Himself On Defense

A minor position change for this Ohio State Buckeyes defender could lead to more production in 2024.

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Sonny Styles (6) lines up during the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 52-6. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After a slight position change, Ohio State Buckeyes junior Sonny Styles has begun to establish himself as a productive linebacker in the team's front seven.

Styles, a former five-star safety out of high school, was a freak athlete that had high expectations upon his arrival to Columbus. It's rare to see a 6-foot-4, 220-pound defensive back that could move as fluent as Styles, which led to many analysts comparing him to NFL linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Like Simmons in his first few years in the NFL, Styles struggled to find a true identity with the Buckeyes' defense. He played limited snaps in his freshman season, but eventually was promoted to a full-time starter in 2023.

As a sophomore, Styles was primarily featured as a strong safety or slot cornerback. He was productive in those roles, but with former Alabama safety Caleb Downs transferring to Ohio State, his role would be put into question.

Luckily for the Ohio native, the departure of a few linebackers catapulted Styles into a starting linebacker role that would better fit the young talent.

Now at 240 lbs, Styles has established himself in the front seven, rather than a fringe safety or linebacker. The move also helped play to his strengths as a great runner defender. The junior struggled at times in coverage last season, but finished with an 84.2 overall run grade in 2023, according to PFF.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles clearly saw his capabilities in the run game towards the end of last year, as Styles played 37 snaps in the box during last year's victory over Rutgers. He ended with four total tackles and three stops, while recording a 92.3 run defense grade from PFF.

Through the first two games of the 2024 season, the veteran defender has clearly embraced the position change. Nearly 85 percent of the snaps taken by Styles have been within the box. Putting a defender with his skill set inside the box will slowly pay off for the Buckeyes, especially in the team's run defense.

Will there be bumps in the road? Sure. But the position change could work out in the end for Styles and Ohio State.