NY Giants take ‘monster’ linebacker Sonny Styles with 5th pick in expert’s latest mock draft

As free agency winds down, all attention is turning toward the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, where the New York Giants will have an opportunity to land an elite prospect with the fifth-overall pick. The Giants have been working to rebuild their defense this offseason with an emphasis placed on stopping the run. That’s why Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles has become a popular name for Big Blue in mock drafts.

Giants Take Ohio State LB Sonny Styles in Daniel Jeremiah’s Latest Mock Draft

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had the Giants taking Styles fifth overall in his Mock Draft 3.0:

“Styles would be a monster playing behind the Giants’ dynamic front line,” Jeremiah wrote of the selection.

Although there is some fear Styles might be taken off the board by the time the Giants are on the clock, Jeremiah had him sneaking past the Tennessee Titans at No. 4 and landing right in the Giants’ lap.

Sonny Styles and His Unicorn Profile: 6’4″ and 235 Pounds of Speed

Sonny Styles is not your traditional linebacker; he is a hybrid freak who spent his early collegiate years at safety before transitioning to the second level. In 2025, Styles was the heartbeat of a dominant Buckeyes defense, racking up 82 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3 pass defenses. His rare combination of 6’4″, 235-pound size and sub-4.5 speed allows him to erase tight ends in coverage and chase down ball carriers from sideline to sideline.

By pairing Styles with Tremaine Edmunds, the Giants would arguably possess the most athletic and physically imposing linebacker duo in the entire NFL.

While his raw tackle and sack numbers were higher in 2024, his 88.0 PFF grade in 2025 (ranked 16th among all FBS LBs) reflects a much more polished player. He became significantly more efficient in space and improved his diagnostic speed, leading to a career-low 2.2% missed tackle rate.

In his senior year, Styles leaned back into his safety roots to become a coverage specialist. He allowed a passer rating of just 68.4 when targeted, proving he can lock down the modern NFL’s hyper-athletic tight ends.

Styles played over 1,900 defensive snaps across these two seasons. His ability to stay on the field for nearly every defensive snap in high-leverage College Football Playoff games is exactly the kind of reliability John Harbaugh covets.

The Schematic Fit for New DC Dennard Wilson

The intrigue surrounding Styles at No. 5 is deeply rooted in Dennard Wilson’s aggressive, pressure-heavy defensive scheme. Wilson covets positionless defenders who can bluff blitzes and drop into deep zones without missing a beat. Styles’ background in the secondary makes him an elite coverage asset.

Jeremiah’s assessment that he would thrive behind Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter, and Brian Burns is spot on; with that much chaos being created up front, Styles would be free to roam and hunt.

Positional Value vs. Defensive Dominance

Despite the “monster” potential, taking a linebacker at No. 5 overall is a polarizing debate. Much like the discussions surrounding Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, drafting a non-premium position in the top five carries a massive opportunity cost, especially with blue-chip offensive tackles, wide receivers, and cornerbacks still on the board — far more premium and difficult to replace positions.

However, if Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh believe Styles is a generational talent who can impact all three levels of the field, the “Harbaugh way” would likely prioritize taking the best player available and disregarding positional value.

By Anthony Rivardo

Anthony Rivardo is the COO of Empire Sports Media and the host of Fireside Giants, a New York Giants ... More about Anthony Rivardo