The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.
The Commanders welcomed new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones earlier this year, and yesterday on Night 1 in Pittsburgh, the DC was gifted one of the best defensive prospects in college football. With the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Washington selected a versatile and supremely athletic young talent in Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
There were many thoughts about what Washington might do at the position over the last several months, but there were no conflicted feelings on Peters end when the Commanders got on the clock and he saw who was there. Styles was the clear pick. "Looking at this, we wanted to get the best player. We didn't want to draft for need, and we felt the best player staring us in the face was a linebacker," Peters said.
Styles was evidently a guy Washington was very high on. "I've been smiling ear to ear for a while now," Peters said. "He's a true Commander, through and through." There is a lot about the 21-year-old linebacker that has Washington excited. They believe he will be a "great blitzer." He can cover a lot of ground with his speed and burst, and that, Peters emphasized, is "a big deal in this league." Styles has also shown he can play in multiple linebacker roles.
The Commanders were looking for more of a spark on defense after a disappointing 2025 season. With his dynamism, freakish athleticism and tackling prowess, it appears Styles has the goods to deliver an immediate boost to the unit.
Here's how draft pundits graded the move:
- Analysis: "Another A+ Buckeye pick here. The Commanders desperately needed to upgrade their back seven on defense and got a potential unicorn at linebacker with Styles. He has the range, size and physicality that Dan Quinn looks for in middle linebackers and will be a massive upgrade over the play that Bobby Wagner gave them last year."
- Analysis: "In a division where the Commanders have to face-off against dynamic quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts and Jaxson Dart, it will help to have a rangy linebacker like Styles to chase them down. This is a great pick for Washington, which lands one of the most athletic defenders the draft has ever seen. Styles is an instinctive linebacker with top-tier tackling skills, and he offers some untapped upside as a situational pass rusher as well. He can be the type of player the Commanders can build their defense round."
- Analysis: "An instant alpha leader, Styles could’ve gone as high as No. 4. Word is he was head coach Dan Quinn's coveted target, but how did he slip this far? The former safety put together one of the combine's best all-time performances."
- Analysis: "The top talent is coming off the board early and it made sense for the Commanders to go best defensive player available, easy with Bailey, Reese and Delane off the board. Styles will find a spot in Dan Quinn's second level, a major upgrade as a run defender and cover man over Frankie Luvu. Styles also is the ideal lateral and downfield complement to Leo Chenal, the former Chief signed for his upfield production."
- Analysis: "An off-ball linebacker with a background as a safety might not seem like a need, but the Commanders needed some help with their front seven, and they get that with the super athletic Styles. He is one of the most athletic linebacker prospects we have ever seen, which will make him an asset on passing downs and give Dan Quinn's defense some schematic flexibility."
- Analysis: "Both in Seattle and most recently in Washington, Dan Quinn was blessed to have future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner at middle linebacker. Remarkably, Quinn will now have an even better athlete in the middle of his Commanders defense in Styles. There are only a few linebackers in NFL history with Styles' combination of size and speed — Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher comes to mind. Washington needed to find an alpha on defense and Styles should prove to be that immediately."
- Analysis: "One of the least athletic front-sevens in the NFL a season ago completes their makeover with one of the most athletic linebackers in draft history. His ability to cover ground in coverage at his size is nothing short of special. He'll allow Dan Quinn so much flexibility on the defensive side of the ball."
- Analysis: "Is Sonny Styles guaranteed to be a home run in Washington? Not necessarily. However, I love everything about the player. He's a leader for this defense in the middle of the field with versatile playmaking ability all over the field. More importantly, he has an infinite amount of juice for a defense that was, frankly, too old and slow a year ago. This was a no-brainer pick for the Commanders and they have to feel lucky to have him fall in their laps."
- Analysis: "Styles gives defensive-minded coach Dan Quinn his man in the middle with Bobby Wagner still a free agent. Either way, Styles is the future behind a defensive line that now includes a $100 million man in Odafe Oweh and star defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne."
- Analysis: "Adam Peters continues to give Dan Quinn and new coordinator Daronte Jones some major assets to overhaul the defense. Styles is not only hyperathletic but incredibly savvy and capable of cleaning up everything in front of him. Caleb Downs could have been a consideration here, but Styles can offer plenty as someone who can take control of the second level of this unit. With no second-round pick, however, Washington might have trouble finding a difference-maker at receiver or in the secondary later on in the draft."
