INDIANAPOLIS — Three little words, one big impact.
"Well, we'd better,'' John Harbaugh said.
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A warning? A threat? A simple message?
Call it a demand. And a prerequisite. Harbaugh will not tolerate his new team continuing the unseemly trend of putting a lousy run defense on the field.
"It's a must thing, I can tell you that,'' Harbaugh said this week at the NFL Scouting Combine. "There's a lot to it. There's three levels and layers to your defense, and all three layers and levels have got to be committed to … stopping the run, no doubt. You can't let people run all over you. It's been important in football since football started.''
And it has been a weakness and an embarrassment for far too long around the Giants. If only there were someone in the upcoming draft capable of coming in and plugging one gigantic Giants hole.
Enter, Sonny Styles .
"I think the way I can improve the run defense is just being in the middle. … I feel like I had a great feel of what was coming,'' the Ohio State product said Wednesday morning. "The way I study the game, I thought I showed physical hands on film, physical strike, I thought I showed sure tackling this year, for the most part.''
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles (LB25) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
For the most part? His missed tackle rate was a minuscule 2.2 percent. The only tackle he missed all season came in the playoff loss to Miami.
This was a run-stopper supreme in college. What about if he walked into the Giants' facility as their first-round pick?
"Just coming in the building, earning the trust of the guys in front of me,'' Styles said. "You got to make sure the defensive line in front of you trusts you, earning the trust of the guys behind me and then being able to command the defense, if I was called on to be the [middle linebacker].''
Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers scrambles with the ball defended by Sonny Styles #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Getty Images
It could happen with the Giants. They have the No. 5 pick, and Styles and two of his college teammates on defense, outside linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs , are expected to come off the board quickly, most likely in the top 10. A case could be made for any of the three as the Giants' selection. The case for Styles is strongest, if their main objective is improving their ability to contain opponents' rushing attacks.
"Yeah, Coach and I talked about that a lot,'' general manager Joe Schoen said. "Stopping the run is very important to Coach Harbaugh, everybody. It's something we haven't done well, so that's something we'll be conscious of this offseason in terms of how we're going to be able to do that better.''
Few teams have done it worse than the Giants. They were 31st in the NFL last season in run defense, allowing 145.3 rushing yards per game. In 2024, they were 27th (136.2 yards), in 2023 they were 29th (132.4) and the year before, they were 27th (144.2).
Bobby Okereke , the starting middle linebacker, had 143 tackles last season, starting all 17 games, but his impact was not as forceful as his breakout 2023 showing in his first year with the Giants. He is set to count $14.4 million on the salary cap, and the Giants would create $9 million in cap space by cutting him loose .
Styles could be the replacement. He met with the Giants on Tuesday night, and by all accounts he made a positive impression. That is hardly a surprise. When it comes to presenting as a mature, poised youngster, few draft-eligible players could have aced the test the way Styles breezed through his podium session.
"That meeting was awesome,'' Styles said of his visit with the Giants. "Coach Harbaugh was great, [inside linebackers] Coach [Frank] Bush great.''
Styles arrived at Ohio State as a safety but grew out of that position, and at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, he is actually a towering presence at linebacker, legitimately capable of playing all three linebacker spots. On the weak side in 2024, Styles broke out with 100 tackles (10.5 for loss) and six sacks as the Buckeyes won the national championship. He moved inside as a senior, and his numbers (82 tackles, six for loss and one sack) took a hit as he shouldered more of the dirty work the man in the middle is required to do.
"For any defense I'm going to bring some versatility to the room , I'm gonna bring some intelligence to the room, I'm gonna bring physicality to the room, and I'm gonna bring consistency to the room,'' Styles said.
Styles has been likened to Fred Warner — he signs off on that comparison — and he also sees some Luke Kuechly in his game. He comes across as humble, confident, thoughtful and eager to please at the next level.
"No matter what pick I go, I do believe I can make a difference, whatever that role may look like,'' he said. "Whatever club I get to, figure out what my role is and just be a champion at that role. All that takes is being consistent, showing up and working hard each and every day.''
