Sonny Styles' realistic landing spots in the 2026 NFL Draft after monster Combine

Player testing at the NFL Combine is only a day old, but we already have our first big winner in Indy: former Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, who had everyone in the building and on the internet buzzing over his performance in both the vertical and broad jumps.

Styles also checked in at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, a downright remarkable size for someone who can move like that. Conventional wisdom has it that off-ball linebackers aren't worth a huge investment either financially or in draft capital, but I mean, come on: Did you see the video above?

Styles was already the best pure linebacker prospect in this draft. Now, the question is less who's LB1 and more whether Styles is enticing enough to get taken ahead of other guys at more premium positions in a wide-open draft class. Here's everything to know about his draft stock now, as well as five realistic landing spots come April.

Sonny Styles posted truly jaw-dropping numbers at the NFL Combine

We already knew that Styles was a great prospect, with uncommon length and athleticism at the position; all you had to do was watch a single Ohio State game last year. But it wasn't until his performance in Indy that we realized just what kind of athlete he is. Styles participated in the vertical and broad jumps on Thursday, and he smashed both out of the park:

• Vertical: 43.5" (1st)
• Broad: 11'2" (1st)

And those aren't just good numbers among this year's class — they're historically ridiculous. Styles is the first player to clear 43 inches in the vertical jump while weighing at least 240 pounds since 2003. His broad jump ranks fourth among all linebackers since 1999. This is a special, special athlete, a combination of linebacker size and safety speed you simply don't see all that often.

Of course, questions still remain. Given how tall he is, will he be able to take on blocks and win leverage at the highest level? And how much are NFL teams willing to pay to land an off-ball linebacker prospect, even one this impressive? But Styles' arrow is pointing straight up after this performance, and it's opened up a whole new area of the draft for him.

Potential Sonny Styles landing spots after NFL Combine performance

New York Giants (No. 5 overall)

If you'd asked me before the Combine whether Styles might be a top-five pick, my answer would've been a pretty definitive no. And to be clear, I'd still bet against it, with the Giants also weighing very good prospects at more premium positions (Styles' old teammates, Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate, foremost among them).

But this draft opens up wide after Fernando Mendoza, Rueben Bain Jr., Arvell Reese and David Bailey; it feels like anyone's guess what will happen after pick No. 4, with personal preference and team need determining how things shake out. And the Giants inarguably need linebacker help with Bobby Okereke on his last legs. It might not be the most thrilling use of a top-five pick, but John Harbaugh knows from personal experience (CJ Mosley, Roquan Smith) what a difference-making linebacker can do in the middle.

Washington Commanders (No. 7 overall)

The Commanders need help pretty much all over their defense; it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to trade up with either the Cardinals at No. 3 or the Titans at No. 4 in order to land one of the premier edge rushers. But if they can't, Styles makes a lot of sense: Bobby Wagner is at (or, really, past) his last legs, and this unit desperately needs to get more athletic over the middle of the field.

Of course, given the state of Washington's pass rush, you could argue it's edge or trade down here. But I'm not sure what the market will be to jump up to No. 7, and is reaching for someone like Keldric Faulk really worth passing up on Styles?

Cincinnati Bengals (No. 10 overall)

Speaking of teams that need help at just about every defensive position! Cincinnati, come on down. Coming away from this draft with a Trey Hendrickson replacement would be ideal, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see the Bengals go for someone like Faulk if they can't get their hands on Bain Jr., Bailey or Reese. They also have a glaring need at corner; personally, I have a hard time banging the table for Styles over someone like LSU's Mansoor Delane.

But Styles is a home-state guy, and the linebacker depth chart here is pretty barren. It wouldn't be the most inspiring pick from a positional value standpoint considering their needs elsewhere, but you also can't rule it out.

Dallas Cowboys (No. 12 overall)

Much as it pains me to admit as a Giants fan, this might be my favorite Styles fit of all. The Cowboys defense doesn't need to be great next season — heck, it doesn't even need to be good. This offense is ready to go super-nova; if Dallas can find a way to stop the run and at least fight towards league average on the other side of the ball, they're a legit NFC East contender.

Enter Styles, who would be a picture-perfect fit in the middle of this defense, especially with Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa keeping him clean. He can go sideline-to-sideline and hoover up tackles, and he's the first spot where an off-ball linebacker feels like a good value fit. I'm excited to see how Jerry Jones screws this up.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 15 overall)

I'd be shocked if he falls this far, but Tampa Bay at No. 15 feels like the absolute floor for Styles at this point. Todd Bowles' defense simply wasn't good enough last season, and linebacker was a major reason why. SirVocea Dennis will hold down one spot in 2026, but even if Lavonte David opts against retiring, he's not a player the Bucs can count on if they want to reclaim the NFC South.

Tampa also needs to address edge rusher, but Styles would be almost impossible to turn down here as a potential heir apparent to David.