Game IQ / Play Recognition
Pros:
•Communicates well on the field and is a leader
•Reads OL well to find which gap they are trying to hit
•Disgueses his blitzes well
•Great eye discipline
•Doesn’t overpursue or gamble
•Got better as the season went on
•Strong at the point of attack
Cons:
•Occasionally has bad depth in play action but for the most part is good
Tackling / Physicality
Pros:
•Gets a good breakdown when making tackles in open space
•Good wrap up
•Can drive his chest and shoulder into the ball carrier well
•Has a violent punch he can use to jar balls free
Cons:
•Would like to see him get square to the ball carrier before contact
•Throws out the occasional half effort shoulder or push
•Pad level on his tackles isn’t what I would like
•Pure arm and wrap tackler rather than someone who is going to drive at a low pad level
Angles / Pursuit / Range
Pros:
•Good pursuer of the QB
•Mirrors ball carriers speed well in order to not give up an angle while still closing in
•Flows to the ball and weeds through traffic
Cons:
•Doesn’t hustle as much as he should
Run Defense / Block Shedding
Pros:
•Keeps himself from getting driven back and O-Linemen can’t open up a a gap because of that
•Can hold his own against OL
•Keeps eyes on the ballcarrier while getting blocked
•Blows up TE or WR that come to make a crack/chip block
•Easily discards of WR blocks
Cons:
•Can get lost in traffic during run defense
•Struggles when taking on multiple blocks in one play
Coverage Ability
Pros:
•Picks up RBs well in zone coverage coming out of the backfield
•Reads QB’s eyes, looks for route, sees route, attacks the ball/receiver
•Passes routes along well
•Solid in man against TE and RBs
Cons:
•Would like to see him more consistently go for bat downs when he can’t get to the QB
•Can get a little too grabby
Athleticism /Frame / Strength
Pros:
•9.99 RAS Rating
•Sideline to sideline capability
•Amazing height and length
Cons:
•Would like to see him use that frame to be more violent then he is
Pass Rush / Blitz Ability
Pros:
•Like how hard he hits RBs that pick him up on blitzes
•Average to barely above average pursuiter
Cons:
•Ineffective blitzer
•Blitzes hardly do anything with him unless the stunt leaves him a wide-open lane to the QB
•Can’t get off a block or finesse his way into the backfield
Games Watched
•Week 1 vs TEX, Week 3 vs OHIO, Week 5 vs MINN, Week 6 vs ILL, Week 8 vs PSU, BIG 10 Champ. vs IU
Ideal Situation:
•Sonny Styles has elite athleticism and all the physical gifts in the world to be a team's number MLB1 and wear the green dot. Styles is very smart and strong in coverage. Any team could use his services. Some people have him falling barely out of the top 10. I simply don’t see that happening. Style's ceiling is so high that any team will want him badly enough. If you can refine some of his smaller skills and techniques, he will be a top 5-10 LB in the league without a doubt.
Rating
•Game IQ / Play Recognition – 8.6/10
•Tackling / Physicality – 8.5/10
•Angles / Pursuit – 8.0/10
•Run Defense / Block Shedding – 8.6/10
•Coverage Ability – 8.7/10
•Athleticism / Frame – 9.0/10
•Pass Rush / Blitz Ability – 5.8/10
Total = 83.2/100 (B-) Mid to late 2nd Rounder
DraftedR1 • P7Washington Commanders