CJ Sanna

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-3, 225 lbs. Taller than 71% and heavier than 82% of 2026 Linebacker prospects in the SEC Scouts database (207 with a listed size).

Play Style

He is a downhill, physical middle linebacker who is at his best attacking the line of scrimmage. He fills inside run gaps with force and uses his strength to take on blockers. His junior-year sack total shows he is effective on A- and B-gap pressures, and his tackle volume shows he consistently finds the ball carrier between the tackles. He plays more on power and effort than on instinct right now. You can see his inexperience at the position in that his first step isn't always decisive, and the processing speed to beat blockers to the spot is still developing.

Strengths

• Productive against the run at the highest Ohio level: 97 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries as a junior in 11 games in Division I, which earned him first-team all-district and third-team all-state honors
• Rare functional power, shown by an Ohio state discus title (194-11 in spring 2025) after finishing runner-up at 174-9 the year before. That strength shows up in stack-and-shed reps and in how hard he hits between the tackles
• Effective as a blitzer: he shared the team lead with 7 sacks as a junior, which suggests good timing on interior pressures and makes him useful on third down
• Improved quickly for someone with only two years at middle linebacker, climbing from roughly #449 at commit to a four-star grade and an Under Armour All-America selection

Areas to Improve

• Reading and diagnosing plays: with only two years at Mike, his run fits, reads through the guard to the backfield, and handling of misdirection and RPO conflict need a lot of reps before he can play fast at Big Ten speed
• Pass coverage: he has limited proven production in coverage (1 INT and 1 PBU as a senior). Zone drops, pattern-matching tight ends and running backs, and change of direction in space will decide whether he stays on the field every down
• Production dipped as a senior (79 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack, down from 97/11/7). Part of that may be role or scheme, but he needs to show more consistent impact on disruptive plays

College Projection

He is a true-freshman Mike at Ohio State in 2026. It is a developmental year: he made 1 tackle in his debut against Ball State on 9/5/2026, with his snaps coming on special teams and in rotation. The realistic path is coverage-unit work and backup Mike reps in 2026-27, adding 10-15 pounds under the strength program, and competing to start as a redshirt sophomore or true junior in 2028. His ceiling is a physical, multi-year starter at Mike in James Laurinaitis's room. If his coverage doesn't come along, his floor is a two-down run defender and core special-teams player.

NFL Outlook

Day 2-3 draft potential if it all comes together. NFL teams will like the frame, the power traits and Ohio State's track record of developing linebackers. His draft stock will depend on proving his athleticism in coverage and his play-diagnosis speed as a multi-year starter. If testing confirms the explosiveness his discus results suggest, he could fit as an early-down Mike or SAM with special-teams value. Without improvement in coverage, he projects as a late-round or priority free agent special-teams player.

Best Fit

An attacking 4-2-5 or 4-3 front that keeps its interior linebackers clean and asks them to fill downhill and pressure the A-gap, with a strong strength staff and patience for development. Ohio State under Laurinaitis fits well: a physical Big Ten schedule suits his run-stopping style, and the depth chart allows a redshirt-style development year.