Sonny Styles Jr. has proven himself to be a future star almost immediately at Ohio State University. The Pickerington native was accepted into the OSU freshman class two years ago at age 17 and impressed with his physical and mental maturity.
This year he will move from safety to linebacker, but defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will likely use him elsewhere to maximize his playmaking abilities.
Here’s what you should know about Styles as the Buckeyes prepare for their 2024 season:
Sonny is not his real name
Styles’ first name is Alex, but his mother and two sisters are the only ones who regularly call him that.
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He was given the nickname as a child. He was quite a hothead and his mother compared him to the character Sonny Corleone from the film “The Godfather”. The nickname stuck.
“Most women in my life make a big statement: Sonny is not my name. My sisters can’t stand ‘Sonny,'” he said.
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“They say (and imitate their voices), ‘That’s not your name. I don’t know why people call you that.’ It’s hilarious. My dad usually calls me Sonny. My mother usually calls me Alex, but she calls me Sonny Sometimes.”
Football runs in the family
His father is Lorenzo Styles Jr., a star linebacker for Ohio State in the early 1990s. He played six NFL seasons, including one for the Super Bowl-winning St. Louis Rams.
Sonny’s brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., is a cornerback at OSU after redshirting last year after transferring from Notre Dame, where he was a wide receiver.
“I didn’t want them to feel pressured to emulate what I did or go where I was,” Styles Sr. said. “I let them develop their own identity and passion for it.”
But don’t forget mom
Although most people associate him with his father because of their connection to football, Sonny says his mother, Laverna, may have had an even greater influence on him because of her high standards off the field.
“People who know my mother say they know that she likes to be in charge,” style said. “My mom loves me very much. She will turn on you and tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.”
One time, Styles received a mediocre grade on a test and his mother threatened to not let him play in the game that week.
