NFL Draft: Could Cincinnati Bengals land most athletic player in entire class?

Ahead of this year’s draft, and especially following a bombastic performance during the NFL Combine, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is emerging as one of the most athletic prospects in this year’s class.

In NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller’s latest mock draft, Styles slips to the No. 10 overall selection, where the Bengals happily stop his slide, to drop into the middle of coordinator Al Golden’s defense.

“It’s hard to imagine Styles lasting this long,” Miller admits, for ESPN. “But teams selecting early often prefer premium positions and draft for need over talent. Styles is a top-five talent on my board, so the Bengals would be wise to stop his slide and make him their new enforcer in the middle of the field. Last year’s fourth-rounder, Barrett Carter, looks like a hit at middle linebacker, but Cincinnati could use an upgrade at weakside LB. A former safety, Styles has the range at 6-foot-5 (4.3 speed) to be an eraser against tight ends and in-breaking wide receivers. He also provides pass-rush upside, with seven sacks the past two seasons.”

By pairing a versatile “eraser” like Styles with an emerging talent in Barrett Carter, the Bengals would instantly transform their defensive identity from vulnerable to formidable.

Securing a top-five talent at pick No. 10 isn’t just a draft-day steal; it’s the definitive move to ensure Cincinnati’s championship window stays bolted wide open. Styles is unquestionably the kind of piece that changes the entire narrative and trajectory of the Bengals’ defense.