It's been no secret who Ohio State has long identified as the biggest priority target in the 2023 recruiting class.
Just hours before the Buckeyes took on Purdue on Saturday, they landed their man as in-state five-star safety Sonny Styles announced his verbal commitment to Ohio State.
H O M E. #COMMITTED pic.twitter.com/xa3fujBa3q
— Alex Sonny Styles (@sonnystyles_) November 13, 2021
Styles has long been identified as an impact player at the next level, and saw his recruitment blow up his sophomore year.
The son of former Ohio State linebacker Lorenzo Styles, Sonny will now follow in his father's footsteps and don the Scarlet and Grey. Styles was offered by the Buckeyes in August of 2020, and decided to become a Buckeye around a year and a half later. It was an emotional decision for Styles, who was tempted to join his brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., at Notre Dame, but went with his hometown school instead.
The Styles File
- Class: 2023
- Size: 6-4/215
- Pos: Safety
- School: Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★★
- Composite Rank: 8 (1 SAF)
Styles visited Ohio State four times over the summer and participated in two camps – one as a linebacker and one as a safety, as he has the size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and athleticism to potentially play either position or the bullet position at the next level. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Styles is the eighth-best player in the 2023 cycle and the top-rated safety.
Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff let Styles know of his importance early and often once Sept. 1 rolled around of his junior year and the Buckeyes could contact him directly.
“I’ve always kept in good contact with Ohio State,” Styles told Eleven Warriors in late September. “I think a lot of times, it’s basic conversations. It’s always about football. And of course, they’re always letting me know they want me here.”
The standout defensive back took two gameday visits to Columbus, once for the home opener against Oregon in early September and later returned for OSU's primetime matchup with Penn State on Oct. 30.
“It was pretty crazy, I loved it,” Styles said of the atmosphere at Ohio Stadium in September. “That was the big thing for me and then linking up with some of the (other recruits), being able to talk to them, I think that was the biggest thing for me.”
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | SONNY STYLES | ★★★★★ | #8 NATL | #1 S | 6-4 | 215 | Pickerington Central (Pickerington, OH) |
| TE | TY LOCKWOOD | ★★★★ | #140 NATL | #8 TE | 6-5 | 225 | Independence (Thompson's Station, TN) |
| IOL | JOSHUA PADILLA | ★★★★ | #182 NATL | #9 IOL | 6-4 | 265 | Wayne (Dayton, OH) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
Styles becomes the third commitment of the 2023 class, joining four-star offensive lineman Joshua Padilla and four-star tight end Ty Lockwood.
