Sonny Styles will be Ohio State’s starting Will linebacker after beating out C.J. Hicks for the job in a preseason competition.
The only opening in the defensive starting lineup was filled on Tuesday when Ryan Day announced Sonny Styles will be the Buckeyes’ first-team Will linebacker for the team’s season opener against Akron on Saturday.
“Sonny has really stepped up and played well,” Day said last week. “He's made this transition from safety to linebacker very well. I think he did a nice job in the spring, but you can definitely see, as he went into the summer bigger, stronger, being more comfortable closer to the line of scrimmage.
With Styles winning the job, all 11 starters on Ohio State’s defense enter the 2024 season with starting experience. Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton make up a veteran defensive line while Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock, Lathan Ransom and Alabama transfer Caleb Downs all have at least a year of starting experience in the secondary.
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