Perhaps not many people know that Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles’ real name is Alex, but there’s an interesting story behind the nickname.
During an interview with Stacey Dales of NFL Network on Friday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Laverna Styles, Sonny’s mother, explained why he’s called Sonny even though his real name is Alex.
“He had such a hot temper, so we named him after Sonny from ‘The Godfather’ because when him and little Lorenzo [his brother and fellow NFL draft prospect] would get into an argument, he would get so mad,” Laverna shared. “He could go from zero to 10 in the blink of an eye, so his nickname became Sonny.”
Anyone who has seen The Godfather knows how fiery Sonny Corleone was in the film. Portrayed by James Caan, Sonny is a fiery character who simply doesn’t hold anything back.
The first installment of The Godfather franchise is widely regarded as one of the greatest motion pictures of all time, and Caan’s character helped a lot in elevating it to the level it’s been regarded ever since it was introduced in 1972.
Hopefully for Sonny Styles, his impact on whichever NFL team he lands with will be just as tremendous — if not greater.
In four years with the Buckeyes, he recorded a total of 244 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 9 passes defended, while winning a national championship in the 2024 season.
