Despite entering the program as a five-star, top-15 prospect out of high school, expectations for Sonny Styles to make an immediate impact as a true freshman had to be tempered.
The Pickerington Central product reclassified to join Ohio State a year early, and as a result, he arrived on campus only three months before the 2022 season opener. No one doubted his ability, but given those circumstances, Styles would’ve had to pull off something of an unprecedented feat to truly be in the mix at the top of the depth chart.
By the end of the season, though, Styles made it impossible for the Buckeye coaching staff to keep him off the field. With the season on the line in the College Football Playoff, Styles played the most snaps of any non-starting safety (12) and the second-most snaps at nickel safety behind Tanner McCalister.
Now gearing up for his first full offseason in Columbus, coaches believe that was just the tip of the iceberg for the heralded defensive back.
“The thing for Sonny is he's smart, his football IQ is extremely high to be that young. And that's a credit to his coach, that's a credit to his dad, that's a credit to his upbringing, and that's a credit to his great focus and discipline,” Ohio State safeties coach Perry Eliano said on Feb. 1. “And so the exciting thing is, we haven't really even scratched the surface of what he can be, and I can see him being. And so that's what's exciting. That's what's exciting about the offseason right now. That's what's exciting about getting 15 practices in spring ball. That's what's exciting about going into summer because this is his first spring ball. He didn't have spring ball last year.
“So there's a huge ceiling. But the biggest thing I love about him is he's focused, he's humble and he's locked into taking it one day at a time.”
The Peach Bowl wasn’t Styles’ only on-field opportunity as a freshman. Styles was a fixture on special teams all season for the Buckeyes, logging 229 snaps to finish the year behind only Xavier Johnson in terms of playing time. Styles also saw reps on defense in seven games even before the Georgia game, including 11 snaps against Toledo and 12 against Michigan State.
Eliano said Styles didn’t receive preferential treatment due to his recruiting status. Styles didn’t walk into the program expecting anything different, and his opportunities came as a result of hard work and proving himself on the practice field.
“I tell guys, it's not about their age. It's about your mindset. He has a great mindset. He's very coachable, and he wants to be the very best he can be.”– Perry Eliano on Styles
“You earn everything you get here. Nobody's given anything you earn what you get here, you earn what you get in the secondary, you earn what you get in the safety room,” Eliano said. “So there's no handouts and the thing, like I said, I appreciate most about Sonny is he came in and worked. There was no entitlement. Yeah, he's the No. 1 player and all that. But you would have never thought that the minute he stepped foot in the door. So he earned the right to be on that stage and play the role that he played. And that's just a credit (to him).”
Styles impressed Eliano and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles with his ability to hang tough against Georgia’s elite tight ends in the CFP, which figures to bode well for his chances to play a bigger role for the Buckeyes in 2023. But exactly where that will be, positionally speaking, has yet to be determined.
all business @sonnystyles_ pic.twitter.com/ct7V47AZo2
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 16, 2023
At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, Styles has the size, athleticism and versatility to play multiple positions on the Buckeye defense, and Knowles is known for employing hybrid roles for the benefit of his unit. But Knowles doesn’t want to stretch Styles too thin, either.
“He's an interesting athlete. I mean, the guy played in the CFP, you saw we broke him out and did well against premier tight ends. So there will be some movement with Sonny,” Knowles said on Feb. 1. “At the same time, you want to settle him in somewhere and allow him just to play ... there are a lot of ideas and things I have for him; at the same time, I want to see him settle into a position and play.”
Knowles said Styles already possesses the intangible qualities he looks for in a defensive star, but Knowles wants to see Styles sharpen up his technique during the coming months.
“I think he can make tremendous improvements with the techniques, really. Techniques at the highest level of football,” Knowles said. “Because he's a guy who does see the big picture, and he's got tremendous athletic skills and he's got the right mindset and attitude and instinct. So for him, I think it's just the improvements that he's going to make with the techniques of the position.”
Ohio State’s starting nickel and free safety roles are now vacant, as McCalister and Ronnie Hickman are both off to the NFL. With Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor both returning, though, either one could start at free or strong safety. Upon transferring in from Syracuse, Ja’Had Carter is an early favorite to replace McCalister at nickel. Kye Stokes, Cameron Martinez and Kourt Williams are all in the mix for safety jobs as well, although Williams is slated to miss the spring after injuries cost him most of the 2022 season.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Styles to play any of Ohio State’s safety positions, and perhaps he could even factor in as a hybrid linebacker in certain packages for the Buckeyes.
There are plenty of Ohio State safeties that have cut their teeth in the program far longer than Styles, who is still only 18 years old, and they may have a case to earn more time based on veteran status alone. But Eliano said age won’t preclude a player from a bigger role if he deserves it, and given the talent Styles has already displayed, he may very well jump ahead of several of his more seasoned teammates after his first spring in scarlet and gray.
“I tell guys, it's not about their age. It's about your mindset,” Eliano said. “He has a great mindset. He's very coachable, and he wants to be the very best he can be. So you know, what you saw that night (against Georgia in the Peach Bowl) was something that he earned. And that will continue to be the case moving forward for all the guys in the room.”
