Sonny Styles

Alexander "Sonny" Styles (born November 24, 2004) is an American professional football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Styles played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning the 2024 national championship prior to being selected seventh overall by the Commanders in the 2026 NFL draft. He is the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles and the younger brother of defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr.

Early life Styles was born on November 24, 2004, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Pickerington High School Central in Pickerington, Ohio, where he played safety and recorded 88 tackles, a sack, two pass deflections, six interceptions, and a forced fumble during his career. In a 2020 televised game against rival Pickerington North, he had nine tackles, an interception, and a blocked punt. Rated a five-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Buckeyes of Ohio State University. Styles also played basketball in high school, winning the 2022 Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state championship.

College career

Styles recorded nine tackles as a reserve strong safety for the Ohio State Buckeyes as a freshman in 2022. He was named the starter ahead of the 2023 season and was named player of the game in the season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers. He converted to linebacker in 2024, helping the Buckeyes win a national championship that season and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors after recording 100 tackles and six sacks. In 2025, Styles was named a defensive co-captain along with Caleb Downs and was the recipient of the team's Block O jersey number honor. He earned All-American honors by The Sporting News after recording over 80 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble.

+ College statistics Year Team Tackles Interceptions 2022 Ohio State 10 9 5 4 1 – – – – – – 2023 Ohio State 13 53 32 21 4.5 2 1 – – – 1 2024 Ohio State 16 100 48 52 10.5 6 1 – – – 5 2025 Ohio State 14 82 46 36 6.5 1 1 1 5 – 3 Career 53 244 131 113 22.5 9 3 1 5 0 9

Professional career

Styles' performance at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was considered among the best at his position in its history, with him being the only player at his size since 2003 to record a sub-4.5 second 40-yard dash, a 40+ inch vertical jump, and an 11+ foot broad jump. He was selected by the Washington Commanders seventh overall in the 2026 NFL draft and signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $37.2 million, on May 8, 2026. Styles chose the uniform number 52 after linebackers Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis, who were influences on him growing up.

Personal life

Styles is the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles and the younger brother of defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr., who was drafted the same year in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints. He was given the nickname of Sonny after the character Sonny Corleone from The Godfather film franchise by his father because of tantrums towards his brother as a young child. Styles graduated from Ohio State in December 2025 with a degree in sport industry.