Styles is a defensive unicorn — a 6-5, 244-pound former safety who moves like a slot corner, hits like a linebacker, and just posted arguably the greatest combine workout by a linebacker in modern history. His coverage instincts are legitimate and his safety background gives him a feel for route concepts that most linebackers can't approximate, making him a true three-down weapon who can match tight ends, spy quarterbacks, and erase throwing windows in zone. The concerns are real but narrow: he's still learning the nuances of taking on NFL-caliber pulling guards and can bite on play-action, and his play strength against climbers at the second level needs development. But the floor is a high-end coverage linebacker who never comes off the field in sub packages, and the ceiling is Fred Warner with two extra inches and 15 more pounds — which is a terrifying proposition for offensive coordinators.
- Elite size-speed-agility combination that may be historically unprecedented for a linebacker — 4.46/43.5 vert/11'2" broad at 244 lbs
- Three-down coverage ability rooted in genuine safety experience; reads route concepts, disrupts throwing lanes, and mirrors tight ends and running backs in man coverage
- Exceptional tackling efficiency — PFF's highest-graded tackler in college football in 2025, with just a 2.2% missed tackle rate (down from 18.4% in 2024)
- Sideline-to-sideline range and closing burst that allows him to erase mistakes made in front of him; rare recovery athleticism
- Alignment versatility — can play MIKE, WILL, overhang, or big nickel and has legitimate blitz upside from depth
- Play strength against NFL-caliber interior linemen climbing to the second level remains a developmental concern — can get washed out by pulling guards
- Bites on play-action fakes and vacates gap responsibility too early against RPOs and boot action; more reactive than instinctive against misdirection
- Only two full seasons at linebacker — still refining gap integrity, blocking scheme recognition, and block deconstruction technique
- Limited pass-rush production and technique; plays too upright when attacking gaps and is vulnerable to cut blocks
Both Jeremiah and Zierlein independently drew the Fred Warner comparison — a rangy, coverage-first linebacker who can move sideline-to-sideline, match tight ends, and fill run gaps with instincts over brute force. Styles is two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier, with even more explosive athleticism, but Warner's instincts and processing were more refined at the same stage.