The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Linebacker Grades – Is Sonny Styles Actually the Best OSU LB? And Best LB Pair Since 2005?

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Date: December 20, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis (Blue Wire)

Episode Overview

Theme:
Bill and Doug dive deep into Ohio State’s 2024 linebacker room, debating whether it’s the program’s best unit since 2005 and discussing the ascendance of Sonny Styles as potentially the best linebacker in college football. They compare Styles and Arvell Reese to historic OSU LB duos, evaluate their All-American snubs and status, dissect defensive structure and assignment, and preview the future of the linebacker position at Ohio State.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Is This the Best OSU Linebacker Group Since 2005?

• Initial Question: Bill asks, "Is this Ohio State's best linebacker group since 2005?" (02:14)

• Doug agrees, stating, “It’s the best one I’ve covered." (02:21)

• The guys compare 2024’s Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles to legendary trios:

  • 2005: A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel
  • 2006-08: James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman
  • Mid-2010s: Darren Lee, Raekwon McMillan, Joshua Perry

• Quote:
  “Not two first rounders... If you want to argue, give me Joshua Perry, Raekwon McMillan and, and Curtis Grant and Darren Lee, whatever. I’ll hear that. But I think you could make an argument... it’s the best linebacker group since ‘05.”
  – Bill Landis (02:26)

2. The Rise and Role of Sonny Styles

• National/Big Ten Recognition:

  • Sonny Styles not being a first-team All-American is “a crime.” (04:55)

  • Styles should have been Big Ten LB of the Year, Butkus award nominee, and first-team AA.

  • "He is honestly... the best linebacker in the country.”
    – Doug Lesmerises (05:00)

  • Debate over All-American selections: Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech), Arvell Reese (OSU), C.J. Allen (Georgia), David Bailey, Aiden Fisher

  • Styles was first-team by PFF, but that may not guarantee a Buckeye Grove tree.

  • “He’s the only [college LB with over 200 snaps] to have not missed a tackle [all year].”
    – Doug Lesmerises (07:57)

• Skillset/Evolution:

  • Recruited as a safety; played as a freshman despite being a year ahead of schedule

  • 2022: prepping to cover Georgia tight ends as a teenager.

  • By 2023: moved to true LB and fully blossomed.

  • “Last year, Sonny Styles was still like a safety playing linebacker — now he’s a linebacker playing linebacker.”
    – Bill Landis (10:19)

  • NFL draft stock: “If he lands outside of the top 15, I’d be shocked... he just turned 21.”
    – Doug Lesmerises (12:39)

  • On-field metrics (PFF): #2 on run defense, #1 tackling, #2 coverage grade.

  • Sonny is seen as “the rock in the middle” allowing Reese and Downs to “circle around and be dangerous,” stabilizing the defense. (19:03–20:43)

3. Arvell Reese – Usage and Impact

• Defensive Usage:

  • Heavy focus early in the year on Arvell as a pass rusher and spy.

  • Snap breakdown: 299 on D-line, but only 49 true pass rushes; 225 in coverage — many as a spy.

  • “He might be the most effective spy in the country.”
    – Doug Lesmerises (24:29)

  • Defensive strategy: using Reese’s reputation to affect offensive game plans, sometimes more as a deterrent than an active disruptor.

  • “It’s like he broke Arch Manning and then Matt Patricia has just the rest of the year been like: he might break your quarterback too. Watch out... Nope, he’s not [rushing], but he could.”
    – Bill Landis (27:54)

  • Debate: Should Reese rush the passer more, or does his presence alone tilt the field enough? Is OSU’s ‘mature, selfless defense’ sacrificing some havoc and explosiveness for ultra-high efficiency? (29:42–30:36)

4. Defensive Structure and Philosophy

• Sonny Styles as the Central Piece:
  • Having Styles as a true, solid MLB enables the “floating,” versatile roles for Arvell Reese (LB/Edge) and Caleb Downs (DB).
  • Doug: “I don’t know that any of [this] works if you don’t have that middle linebacker who can kind of just make everybody right.” (20:43)
  • There’s “a symbiotic relationship” between all three.

5. Grading the Linebacker Room & Peer Comparison

• Current Grading:

  • Doug: "I'm at 95."
    Bill: "I'm at a 97... I don't know what else you want."
    (39:01)
  • Subscriber average: 96.

• “Batman and Batman. Batman and Superman”

  • Styles and Reese seen as the rare double-star pairing (not “Batman and Robin”; both are alphas).
  • Discussion of future comparisons — this duo sets the standard for years to come.

6. The Future: Next in Line at Ohio State

• Third LB/Peyton Pierce:
  • Third contributor but not the same star level; “pretty solid,” his PFF grades waned late.
  • Expected to be starting Mike in 2025.
  • Doug expects Riley Pettijohn as his running mate, with TJ Alford and Sincere Johnson mixing in.
    (34:10–35:00)
  • “Pierce is the Sonny. Pettijohn as the Arvell for [next year].”
    – Bill Landis (36:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If somebody doesn’t plant a tree for Sonny Styles, that’s a crime. He’s the best linebacker in the country.”
  – Doug Lesmerises (05:00)

• “Tommy Eichenberg and Steel Chambers are not Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. This is a leap, brother!”
  – Bill Landis (08:43)

• “It’s like Batman and Batman. Batman and Superman... it’s Deadpool and Wolverine.”
  – Bill Landis (39:40)

• “You could make an argument... it’s the best linebacker group since ‘05.”
  – Bill Landis (02:26)

• “What an achievement — to have Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese... set a new standard for Ohio State linebackers.”
  – Doug Lesmerises (36:30)

• Personal Metaphor (Mini-golf Night):
  Bill likens experiencing the 2024 LB duo to having an unexpectedly spectacular night at a go-kart/mini-golf track with $100, saying you enjoy the memory forever even though future nights don’t measure up. “That’s what Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are... mini golfing, go-karting with a hundred bucks in your pocket.” (36:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:14] – Is 2024 the best LB group since 2005?
• [04:55] – Sonny Styles All-American/awards debate
• [07:57] – Styles’ national stats: zero missed tackles
• [10:19] – Sonny Styles’ position evolution and draft stock
• [14:28] – Styles’ PFF metrics and defensive role
• [18:55] – Sonny’s perception and snap efficiency
• [20:43] – Defensive structure: Styles as middle anchor
• [23:28] – Arvell Reese’s role, usage as spy vs rusher
• [27:54] – Reese’s impact and Matt Patricia’s strategy
• [29:42] – Defensive philosophy (havoc rate vs efficiency)
• [34:10] – Peyton Pierce and next year’s linebacker room
• [39:01] – Grading the linebacker room, future comparisons

Tone and Style

Bill and Doug keep things conversational and lighthearted, mixing sharp analysis with friendly jabs and inside jokes. The vibe is accessible for die-hard and casual fans alike—with moments of reflection, OSU lore, and genuine admiration for the players’ evolution and the coaching job by Matt Patricia and James Laurinaitis.

Final Takeaway

Ohio State’s 2024 linebackers, led by Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, are not only statistically elite but set a new modern standard for the program and perhaps the country. Their unique combination of NFL-ready talent, versatility, and team-first roles make them “mini-golf night with a hundred bucks”—a special moment OSU fans may chase for years to come.

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