Overview

Position: LB

College: Ohio State

Class: 21

Age: Senior

 

Measurables

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 244 lbs.

Arm length: 32 7/8″

Hand size: 10″

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: 4.46 sec.

10-yard split: 1.56 sec.

Vertical jump: 43.5″

Broad jump: 134.0″

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: 7.09 sec.

Short shuttle: 4.26 sec.

 

Strengths

Excellent frame and length. Very explosive movement skills. Former safety who moves like it. Outstanding instincts and play recognition. Stays athletic with tremendous technique strafing to tackle on the second level. Extremely quick overall rection time. Great speed defending outside runs. Too quick on the second level and will get outside blockers defending runs to the edge. Handles inside run fits before pursuing ball-carriers when they bounce runs outside. Great feet and quickness to slip past blockers pursuing the ball towards the sideline. Terrific technique taking on blockers that reach him on the second level. Aggressive and physical getting downhill to tackle in the hole. Darts underneath blockers to work into the backfield. Gets into the backfield in a hurry when unblocked. Hands are strong to shed blocks. Quick getting off blocks to make a tackle. Physical taking on blockers inside and lead blockers in the hole. Effectively uses length to engage. Physical taking on blockers when on the edge. Instantly identifies designed quarterback runs and draws. Very strong bringing down opponents when he gets his hands on them. Positions himself to clean things up as a tackler. Takes on blockers with aggression in space. Aggressive hitting in space. Tremendous wrap-up tackler when broken down in space. Fast as a blitzer. Has experience blitzing when lined up on the edge. Used as a quarterback spy. Great instincts in coverage. Easy movement skills and covers a ton of ground in coverage. Excellent range and very athletic to get depth in coverage. Very quick reaction time as a zone defender. Quick to tackle and wraps up at the catch point. Has shown he can stick to tight ends in man coverage. Easily carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Experience lining up over slot receivers in overhang position. Flashes athleticism paying the ball in the air.

 

Weaknesses

Can get overpowered when offensive linemen latch onto his frame. Driven off the ball some when blockers connect with accuracy and aggression. Could be stronger in terms of stopping power as a wrap-up tackler. Sometimes takes false steps laterally based on run action. Aggression in backside pursuit could be better. Could be more consistent wrapping up in space. Would like to see him missile into blockers more aggressively as a blitzer.

 

NFL comparison

Edgerrin Cooper

 

Conclusion

Overall, Styles is an athletic, instinctive linebacker with a knack for making plays versus the run and tackling at a high level. He should be a very productive and disruptive defender in the middle of an NFL defense.

 

Big Board ranking: #15 | Positional ranking: #3