INDIANAPOLIS — It's not hard to find any number of people who will extoll the virtues of Sonny Styles. Turn on sports talk shows, flip through sports radio, take a look at mock drafts, and conversations around the Ohio State linebacker will inevitably dominate the narrative.

They'll tell you that he's one of, if not the best, off-ball linebackers in this draft. They'll break down his 83 tackles, 1.0 sack, fumble forced, interception, and three passes defensed this past season.

Analysts will explain how his start as a safety has helped him in his transition to linebacker, to still be disruptive in coverage, his lineage as the son of a former NFL linebacker (Lorenzo Styles, Sr.), and how his experience calling plays for a national championship-winning Buckeyes team has all groomed him for this role.

His draft report points out Styles' ability to diagnose plays, shed blockers, and play with near-perfect tackling form.

It's not hard to find praise for Sonny Styles this draft season. But Sonny Styles would also like to discuss some different parts of his game: the parts that need work.

"A lot of teams, I think they want to know, or at least I want to show them that I'm aware of what I need to get better at," admitted Styles, holding court early on Wednesday morning at the NFL combine, speaking to a horde of reporters who came to talk with the top prospect who was now listing all the ways he needed to improve.

"I want to show them I'm an intelligent football player. Like, I'm not just a guy out there running and hitting. That's part of the game too, but you got to be a smart football player, especially in the NFL, and then be able to talk about it.

"I think I can be a lot more effective in zone coverage as I keep working that part of my game. I think I've shown I can feel routes and things like that. But not a lot of ball disruption, especially this past year. And I think with my athleticism, if I keep working on that, I should be a threat.

"I think me being a taller linebacker and turn the film on certain plays, good or bad, you can see my pad level is starting to rise a little high. So it's something I always have to be conscious and aware of, and I know it shows up when I'm watching film."

Don't let Styles fool you; he is still an enticing prospect who—by all accounts—won't make it out of the first round. His linebackers coach at Ohio State (James Laurinaitis, who played eight years in the NFL) knew it from the moment the Buckeyes asked Styles, with his 6-5, 243-pound frame, to switch from safety to linebacker.

"The thing is, he gave me confidence, and when I first switched from safety to linebacker," Styles shared. "Coach sent me a text. He said, 'Hey man, you're going to be a first-round linebacker.' And he kind of sent me that text before I even technically believed it."

And the Ohio native is well aware of his strengths, pointing out his versatility to play the Mike, Will, or Sam while also calling plays.

"I think I can do all three at a high level. I think I'm a very athletic player, and I think that shows up in my game," admitted Styles. "I feel comfortable calling plays. I think the comfortability level just comes with spending time. If I know what I'm doing and everyone else knows what I'm doing, there's no stress with it.

"So, just coming in the building, earning the trust of the guys in front of me. You've got to make sure the defensive line in front of you trusts (and) earning the trust of the guys in the room, earning the trust of the guys behind me, and then being able to command the defense if I was called to be the Mike."

But his willingness to readily admit where his weaknesses are and how he can improve speaks to an accountability that isn't always present in draft prospects. It is that mindset, though, that helped shape Styles into a possible first-round pick, determined to become the best player he can be on the field.

If there's anyone who can appreciate such an approach, it's someone who has both been in and now evaluates his position. Someone like former linebacker and current general manager Dan Morgan.

"Yeah, it was interesting," smiled Styles as to his meeting with the Panthers during which the GM was able to speak Styles' language in a way not all can. "You could tell he played. Obviously, I knew his history already, but you could tell by the way he was asking questions and asking about eye progression and things like that.

"It was awesome. He's in there asking some good questions to me, so that was an awesome experience. I thought that meeting went really well, so it was a good time."

There's a lot to like about Sonny Styles, both on and off the field. Anything you need to know in another vein, just ask Styles himself; he'll be happy to tell you. The result is a player already near the top of his game, and determined to keep going.

"I think no matter what pick I go, I do believe I can make a difference, whatever that role may look like," said Styles. "So for me, whatever club I get to figure out what my role is and just be a champion at that role, and I think all that takes is just being consistent, showing up and working hard each and every day."