The buzz surrounding Dallas Cowboys and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles keeps growing. With the 2026 NFL Draft just days away, ESPN analyst and former NFL executive Louis Riddick is throwing his full support behind Mel Kiper Jr.’s bold suggestion that the Cowboys should trade up to land one of the most electric defensive prospects in recent memory.
“He’s made for big roles, for big moments, on big time football teams, like the Dallas Cowboys. I just think he’d be a superstar in that uniform in particular.”@LRiddickESPN thinks Sonny Styles is a perfect fit for the Cowboys ✍️ pic.twitter.com/QbyzHTprer
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 15, 2026
“He’s made for big roles, for big moments, on big time football teams, like the Dallas Cowboys,” Riddick said during ESPN’s Get Up. “I just think he’d be a superstar in that uniform in particular.”
In his final 2026 mock draft, Kiper projected the Cowboys trading up from No. 12 overall to No. 6 overall by striking a deal with the Cleveland Browns — surrendering picks 12 and 20 to move up the board and secure Styles. The math makes sense for Cleveland too, as the move would give the Browns three first-round picks to reload their roster.
Riddick didn’t just endorse the trade, he doubled down on the value of the prospect himself. “Sonny is can’t miss. He is cannot miss,” Riddick said. “When you get him, you know you’re getting a great player. You’re getting a great person.”
The numbers paint a grim picture. Dallas ranked 30th in total defense last season and dead last in scoring defense, surrendering 30.1 points per game and allowing 30 or more points in nine separate games. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has been tasked with overhauling a unit that was historically bad.
Styles is the kind of key defender that Dallas really needs. In 2024, he had 100 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks. In 2025, he had 82 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. His move from safety to linebacker has only made him better at covering a lot of ground. His combine performance, which included a 4.46 forty, a 43.5-inch vertical, and a perfect 10.00 RAS score, proved that he is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete.
Beyond the stats, Riddick’s praise for Styles as a person aligns perfectly with head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s stated mission to bring in “culture-changers” to Valley Ranch. With Kiper, Riddick, and Todd McShay all pointing toward the same destination, the Cowboys may have little reason to stay put on draft night.
The buzz surrounding Dallas Cowboys and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles keeps growing. With the 2026 NFL Draft just days away, ESPN analyst and former NFL executive Louis Riddick is throwing his full support behind Mel Kiper Jr. ‘s bold suggestion that the Cowboys should trade up to land one of the most electric defensive prospects in recent memory.