
Follow live: Magic host Hornets in play-in tournament battle
Magic host Hornets in a must-win play-in tournament game!
Sonny Styles, linebacker from Ohio State, has been selected by the Giants in SB Nation's community mock draft. The mock draft involves all 32 NFL sites collaborating to predict first-round selections ahead of the actual NFL Draft from April 23-25.
COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 22: Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) in action during the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 22, 2025, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome back to another year of the SB Nation Community Mock Draft!
As we do every draft season, all 32 NFL sites at SB Nation come together to fill out an entire first-round mock draft leading up to the actual event that takes place from April 23-25. One by one, our site managers will make their picks and provide their reasoning behind the selection. From there, I will provide further analysis on top of giving a final opinion on the pick!
Without further ado, letâs getâs things rolling!
With the fifth overall pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft, Big Blue Viewsâs Ed Valentine and the New York Giants select Sonny Styles, linebacker, Ohio State!
Valentineâs analysis:
My analysis: I agree with this pick for the same reason Valentine notes above. Itâs hard to imagine the Ravens defenses of the past without their quality inside linebacker play and trying to picture a John Harbaugh-led defense playing without a true green dot player in the middle just doesnât sit right. Styles seems like such a perfect fit for this team to not only be the guy in the middle for the defense, but an excellent pairing to play alongside 2025 first-round edge rusher Abdul Carter for the foreseeable future.
Styles is a rangy, sideline-to-sideline defender with immense athleticism to be a game-wrecker from the first whistle until the last. He sifts through trash around the line of scrimmage effortlessly to find ball carriers before they have a chance to hit the gas. When he canât avoid blocks altogether, Styles pops blockers in the mouth and sheds them with haste.
While some may believe the off-ball linebacker position is not worth such a high pick in the draft, they donât make them like Styles every year and the chance to add a player with his ceiling is just too much to pass up for a coach looking to turn things around fast in Year 1.
Sonny Styles is a linebacker from Ohio State University.
The actual NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25, 2025.
SB Nation's community mock draft involves site managers from all 32 NFL teams making selections and providing reasoning for their picks.

Magic host Hornets in a must-win play-in tournament game!
Falcons trade Ruke Orhorhoro to Jaguars for Maason Smith; ESPN grades it.
Morgan Reimer of the Washington Huskies is a top candidate for Big Ten Player of the Year, recognized for her outstanding performance this season. She has 22 wins and a 2.03 ERA, making her one of the best pitchers in the nation.
Angel Reese shares emotional thoughts on joining Atlanta Dream's sisterhood
Positive health updates for Chargers' offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.

Arsenal eyes Leicester's Monga, Liverpool targets Wharton
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.