Sonny Styles Puts On A Show — And Ends Chances Of Falling To Bucs?
February 27th, 2026
Please fall to the Bucs.
Joe has not changed his mind.
Joe has no use for the “Combine: The TV Show.” First, it is not the combine. The real combine happens at the Indiana Convention Center, across the street from Lucas Oil Station.
There, agents float about, often huddled with NFL general managers and/or coaches. Scuttlebutt and sourced rumors flow freely. The embryonic stages of trades and free agent signings are hatched. Real football business is conducted.
Some will argue the combine happens even more in the hotel lobbies surrounding the convention center and at St. Elmo over bourbon and steak.
What people see on that waste of electricity at an indoor track practice makes Joe laugh. And no, Joe has no use for 40 times. If a guy can’t tackle, can’t block, can’t catch, can’t cover, Joe doesn’t give a damn if he is Usain Bolt.
So last night Joe’s timeline on Twitter wa flooded with posts about how Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles blew people away in running and jumping. That’s nice but Joe’s watched film and live games of Styles and that proved to Joe this man can play.
Apparently, Styles ripped through his indoor track practice routine so well, it may have put him out of reach of the Bucs, who pick at No. 15 in the first round.
Joe has always typed that it’s impossible to see Styles get past Dallas at No. 12. After his show last night? Styles may not get out of the top-10.
If somehow Styles gets to the Bucs, whomever is in Pittsburgh for the draft representing the Bucs needs to sprint to the head table to turn the card in.
Joe loved Styles’ linebacker play before last night. After last night, Joe dreams of Styles ruling the football field sideline to sideline in ways that would make even Lavonte David and Derrick Brooks smile.
Sonny Styles 1.51s 10-yard split is simply madness. We can end the event tonight. It’s not going to get better than this.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) February 27, 2026
Sonny Styles just gave us an all-time Combine performance 🔥
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/zgaPipalhp— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026
February 27th, 2026 at 4:09 am
Top 7-10 now…..but if he does make it, grab him. Ive been pushing him and Ioane. Still need to do more research on 2nd rounders….so far Trotter is sticking out, then Lawson in the 3rd.
February 27th, 2026 at 4:24 am
Trading up to 10 for him would be totally worth it, but he’ll be gone by then.
At 15, maybe even trading back, we could end up with Howell or one of those NT’s, which is also a need. I’ve got complete trust in Licht to pick the best player available (I learned my lesson last year).
February 27th, 2026 at 4:38 am
Jacob Rodriguez ran a 4.57. Not too shabby. Especially when you consider he’s the best defensive football player in the draft and would change our team the minute he gets to Tampa. It’d be great to get Styles. Especially if JRod could play with him and teach him some of the finer points of playing football.
February 27th, 2026 at 4:41 am
Good thing that Bowles could have him playing to Sir Vocea Dennis level if the Bucs draft him.
3rd and 28 Bowles but not his fault
February 27th, 2026 at 4:44 am
We could trade Lavonte Bowles Loving David, Sirvocea Dennis and our one to move up
February 27th, 2026 at 5:36 am
David will be resigned, and he’ll start. Fans thinking he can play a part time role think again. You’re 3rd LB needs to be a core STs player. David is not chasing kicks. We have all given up on Dennis, has Bowles? Has Licht? We have to draft ILB OLB, but don’t be shocked if David, and Dennis are your opening day starters.
February 27th, 2026 at 5:39 am
I was surprised he was being mocked to the Bucs so much because his tape screams top ten in this draft. The Bucs need multiple LBs. As good as Styles is he is only one LB so moving up for him is out of the question. Simply drafting a LB in round one is draft malpractice and moving up to do so is worse. There are exceptions to all rules and Styles is one of those but there are many more good linebackers in this draft.
We all know who CJ Miller and Anthony Hill Jr are but I’m not sweating missing out on them either. LB is not a premium position so I’m looking at Jake Golday in in round 2-3, towering but fluid safety/LB hybrid Kendall Daniel’s from Oklahoma St in rounds 3/4 and Lander Barton from Utah in round 4/5. All three of these fellas are freaky athletes who are tall and long LBs who are voracious tackles but exceptionally fluid movers who make plays in coverage. Long active arms attached to spatially aware heads will make Bowles’ zone less soft in the middle.
My biggest reason for not crying over missing out on an opportunity to pick Styles is his lack of edge and passion. This defense needs animals. Multiple animals.
February 27th, 2026 at 5:43 am
Jake Golday and our hobbled pass rush savior/Super Bowl ticket David Walker abolutely wrecked spit at Central Arkansas together for a couple years, incidentally.
February 27th, 2026 at 6:11 am
More incidentally, the first official NFL combine, they called it the National Invitational Camp, was held in Tampa in 1982. It was organized by the National Football Scouting Inc. who invited 163 players to Tampa to gather medical information because the Jets (of course the Jets) had drafted a WR who was legally blind. The guy actually put together a nice little career for them regardless but something had to be done to make sure something like that never happened again. Thanks to Charles Darwin’s greatest invention/evolution here we are…
February 27th, 2026 at 6:17 am
Drafted too many crappy defense players in the. 2nd round.
Package the second round and move up for quality.
February 27th, 2026 at 6:22 am
Last year Campbell was mocked to the Bucs.
Passed on him last year Hey joe how did he do.
February 27th, 2026 at 6:22 am
The price of winning in week 18 keeps getting worse.
February 27th, 2026 at 7:02 am
In the backpedal and react drill Jacob Rodriguez hit 18 and a half miles per hour. Arvell Reece was second fastest at 17 and a half miles an hour. The fastest in the drill in the last 4 years for a linebacker. No wonder he was the highest ranked linebacker against the pass in college football. I guess it’s his instincts that had him the highest ranked linebacker against the run in college football. His leadership is probably why he won every single defensive award college football awards. And seeing how he had more turnovers than anyone in college football speaks to his relentless effort. I’m not sure what everyone else is seeing.
February 27th, 2026 at 7:05 am
Bowzo won just enough to land a bad draft order. Another good job.
February 27th, 2026 at 7:13 am
Dream draft we land Styles and Rodriguez at ILB and Howell at Edge
February 27th, 2026 at 7:19 am
Pretty much, I watched his 40 last night and audibly yelled “chill out!”
February 27th, 2026 at 7:29 am
Good for Sonny and good for the Bucs.
Build the trenches Edge or DL in round 1. Plenty of really good LBers to be had in rounds 2-3.
Some Combo like:
-Howell edge
-J Rod Lber
–Kyle Louis Lber
Or
-Banks or MacDonald DT
-J Rod
Malachi Lawrence Edge