Should the Saints draft Sonny Styles?
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is arguably the top prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, most New Orleans Saints fans are dismissing him as a potential prospect. Not only is he a premier option at pick eight, but he may be the most impactful selection for the future. NFL.com analyst Gennaro Filice recognized this and picked Styles for the Saints in his recent mock draft.
“With New Orleans attempting to rebuild on the fly and Demario Davis ticketed for free agency, it might be time for the two parties to go their separate ways,” Filice wrote. “As a converted safety with true three-down ability, Styles feels like a prototypical modern linebacker. In fact, Lance Zierlein comps him to the prototypical modern linebacker: Fred Warner."
The fit for the Saints is immaculate. Filice notes how the future around all-pro linebacker Demario Davis is uncertain, with him aging and being an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Outside of him, their linebacker corps is weak, so investing in Styles would be an outstanding long-term solution.
Styles' movement skills are unparalleled at the position, stemming from his background as a safety. This lets him cover both tight ends and running backs in man coverage. The Saints haven’t had a pass coverage linebacker to the level of Styles in years. He has the ability to elevate the Saints defense with this alone.
His impressive mobility doesn’t just help him in pass coverage, but also in run defense. Styles excels at navigating through traffic to make a play on the ball. He has violent intentions once he reaches the carrier and hardly ever misses a tackle, only two in 2025 (both coming in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff loss to Miami).
Even if a blocker gets his hands on Styles, he still is impactful. He has an uncanny ability to separate from blocks and continue forward. Even in the off chance he doesn’t, Styles has shown the ability to make the play one-handed, while holding off the blocker with the other.
To round out his game, Styles has shown the ability to pressure the quarterback. He wasn’t asked to in 2025, with fellow prospect Arvell Reese taking those snaps, but had an impressive six sacks in 2024. This means that he can impact the game on every down, regardless of the role he’s in.
Sonny Styles isn’t the most conventional selection for the Saints, and would likely catch slack from fans, but would be a perfect fit for the defense. He’s one of the most talented players in the draft and would be a potential Demario Davis successor. If he’s on the board, the Saints should put serious thought into selecting him.