Still not a week removed from Ohio State’s national championship win, both linebacker Sonny Styles and cornerback Davison Igbinosun have announced that they will be back on the Buckeyes defense for the 2025 season and will forgo the 2025 NFL draft.
With the Buckeyes set to lose eight of their starters on the defensive side of the ball, both Styles and Igbinosun coming back is great news for the team.
This season was Styles’ first at the linebacker position after moving down from safety. He had 100 tackles, 10 1/2 for loss, six sacks, five pass breakups and one forced fumble after earning the starting job out of fall camp over C.J. Hicks.
Since he is staying another year, he might now have the chance to start next to his brother Lorenzo Styles Jr., who was behind Jordan Hancock at the nickel position this year, who is off to the NFL draft.
Ignbinosun has now started for two seasons in Columbus after transferring from Ole Miss, where he played his freshman season. He finished this year with 45 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions and nine pass breakups.
One big way Igbinosun could raise his draft stock for next season is to eliminate the holding and pass interference penalties that he had trouble staying away from with his physical play, drawing 16 flags in 16 games this year.
Running back Quinshon Judkins also had a decision to make like Styles and Igbinosun, but he opted to enter his name into the 2025 NFL draft after one season with Ohio State.
