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New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh.
The New York Giants may have a new NFL Draft favorite after the first few days of Combine workouts, as Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles seems to have crashed the party at No. 5 overall.
According to the latest Giants rumors from NorthJersey.com insider Art Stapleton, Styles really “impressed” the Big Blue brass in attendance. After meeting with head coach John Harbaugh and company earlier this week, Styles set the internet ablaze with his Combine performance.
Per Underdog, Styles’ measurements and Combine times matched the following NFL and NBA superstars (past and present).
- Height (6-foot-5): Identical to Calvin Johnson.
- Weight (244 pounds): Three pounds lighter than Derrick Henry.
- Vertical jump (43.5″): Same as Nate Robinson’s max vert.
- Forty-yard dash (4.46 seconds): Same as Bijan Robinson.
- Broad jump (135″): Same as Julio Jones.
Needless to say, Styles really showed out this week, and some believe the freakish linebacker may have just boosted his draft stock all the way up to a top-five pick.
“Will Sonny Styles join the lineage of great inside linebackers for John Harbaugh?” Stapleton questioned within his update. Adding: “Sources tell NorthJersey.com and The Record that the Ohio State star met with the Giants on Tuesday night and impressed.”
The Big Blue insider went on to note that he believes Styles is now one of three frontrunners for the Giants at No. 5 overall.
Giants Insider Names Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs & Carnell Tate as 3 Early Favorites on Harbaugh’s NFL Draft Board
GettyOhio State linebacker Sonny Styles at the 2026 NFL Combine.
The Giants don’t need a quarterback, so their board is unlikely to include a consensus top pick like Fernando Mendoza. Outside of the expected No. 1 pick, Stapleton named three prospects that he has topping Harbaugh’s wish list as of now, based on conversations with sources.
They are Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, and Styles, another member of the Buckeyes.
“Have to think [Styles is] now in play at No. 5 with Buckeye teammates WR Carnell Tate and S Caleb Downs,” Stapleton wrote.
Are we sensing a theme? The new-look Giants seem to like former National Champions, but there’s still plenty of time for other players to emerge in round one.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has been surprisingly linked to the Giants throughout Combine week, and there’s still a chance NYG needs a new right tackle if Jermaine Eluemunor walks in NFL free agency. Don’t forget cornerback, which always seems to be an area of need for Big Blue.
Unfortunately, the Giants have several roster holes to shore up. And with Harbaugh entering the fold, expect a few big moves and shake-ups. The surging Buckeyes linebacker is the latest.
Did Styles just test his way into the conversation?
Giants Draft News & Rumors at NFL Combine Include 2 More Player Meetings
The Giants have surely been meeting with several incoming rookies, but not all of those chats are reported. However, Stapleton did shed some light on two more meetings within the same Combine round-up as the Styles note.
“The formal interviews kicked into high gear Tuesday night and in addition to Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, I’m told the Giants met with Texas linebacker Anthony Hill and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods,” Stapleton reported on February 26.
“Sounds like Hill won over the room inside the Giants’ suite at Lucas Oil Stadium,” he continued, “which is interesting to see Styles and Hill emerge as legit options for a defense seeking MIKE linebacker presence.”
Stapleton also noted that Woods trains with Big Blue star Dexter Lawrence. The two have Clemson ties, and Woods seemed keen on the idea of playing alongside Lawrence at the NFL level if the Giants “come get” him.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL as an Associate Editor for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the NFL breaking news operation, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
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