Sonny Styles records three tackles, takes on surprising role in first NFL action originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Linebacker Sonny Styles got his first taste of NFL action, and while the rookie didn’t deliver a highlight-filled performance, he was handed plenty of responsibility from the start.
Styles played during the opening series, a 14-play Miami touchdown drive that immediately tested the young linebacker and the defense. He finished his appearance with three tackles but wasn’t a major factor in slowing down the Dolphins’ offense.
Still, the most noteworthy part of Styles’ debut might have been what was on his helmet.
Styles wore the green dot, meaning he was responsible for receiving the defensive play calls from the sideline and communicating them to his teammates. Giving that responsibility to a rookie in his first preseason action showed the level of trust the coaching staff already has in his ability to process information and command the defense.
There were also predictable growing pains.
Styles occasionally looked like exactly what he was — a rookie playing his first NFL game and adjusting to the speed, spacing and responsibilities that come with playing linebacker at the professional level.
Coaches trusted him with the defense
Miami’s opening possession provided a difficult introduction. The Dolphins methodically moved the football during the 14-play scoring drive, forcing Styles to diagnose formations, communicate assignments and make adjustments while experiencing NFL game speed for the first time.
The three tackles won’t jump off the stat sheet, but preseason football is often more about evaluation than production, particularly for young players.
For Styles, the opportunity to wear the green dot could prove more significant than his final numbers.
His combination of size, athleticism and versatility gives him intriguing potential, but becoming comfortable within the defensive system will take repetitions.
The first outing provided exactly that.
Styles wasn’t dominant, and there were moments when his inexperience showed. But he received valuable snaps, handled communication duties and experienced the challenges of directing an NFL defense.
Now comes the next step: learning from the film and becoming more comfortable each time he takes the field.
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