When it comes to Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David’s legacy, you can say with full confidence that if were to never play another game he’d be considered one of the franchises’ all time greats.
What’s a lot more uncertain is the future for the Buccaneers at inside linebacker with David headed into his 14th season and playing on a 1-year, $9 million contract — a deal that will bring his career earnings to a staggering $103.6 million.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft has the Buccaneers selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the first round (No. 22 overall) of its latest 2026 NFL mock draft.
The Buccaneers are searching for a long-term replacement for Lavonte David, and Ohio State’s Sonny Styles might be the perfect fit,” Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder said. “The former defensive back has the athleticism to be an effective coverage linebacker and more strength at the point of attack than one might think.”
Styles, 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, is the type of player who could become a team’s centerpiece at inside linebacker for the next decade.
Father Played 6 NFL Seasons, Won Super Bowl
Styles was an All-Big Ten pick in 2024 as he and his older brother, Ohio State cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr., helped lead the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff National Championship.
When Styles inevitably makes it to the NFL, he’ll be the second member of his family to do so. His father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., was a 2-time All-Big Ten linebacker at Ohio State in the early 1990s and played 6 seasons in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams following the 2000 season.
Sonny Styles was actually a starting safety for Ohio State in 2023 before he converted to linebacker in 2024.
“(Styles)does a tremendous job of covering ground and is underrated in coverage,” Yahoo! Sports NFL draft analyst Andrew Harbaugh wrote on June 17. “I really appreciated his ability to close on runners outside the numbers and the run defense he gave the Buckeyes in the playoffs. He also does a tremendous job of tracking the ball by watching the quarterback’s eyes, so it allows him to stay with them and potentially even be in play to get his hands on it in the air, or be in play to lay hands on the receiver. Lots of room for improvement, but I like his heat seeking ability and the playmaking it serves.
David One Of NFL’s Greatest LBs Of All Time
Replacing David will be no small task — he’s one of the the most underrated linebackers of all time. He’s also one of the greatest.
Selected in the second round (No. 58 overall) out of Nebraska in the 2012 NFL draft, David has never missed more than 4 games in a single season and has 11 seasons over 100 tackles, including one NFL All-Pro selection in 2016 — when he had just 87 tackles — along with 2 Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl win in 2020.
When he’s done playing, there will be a debate about whether or not David should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There shouldn’t be. His 1,100 career tackles headed into 2025 puts him at No. 5 on the NFL’s career tackles list and he should easily surpass No. 4 Donnie Edwards (1,135 tackles) this season.
Prediction Brings Buccaneers ‘Ideal Replacement’ For $103 Million All-Pro