The Washington Commanders got themselves a defensive playmaker with their first-round pick in Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, and the belief is that he can make an immediate impact on a unit that struggled last season. Here are four of Styles' best plays from his final campaign with the Buckeyes

1. Styles brings down Luke Altmyer at the goal line.

One of Styles' best attributes is his ability to dissect offenses, work through traffic and make tackles. That trait flashed often during his time at Ohio State, but one of the best examples of it truly affecting a game came last year against Illinois.

The Illini, who came into the matchup with just one loss and a 3-0 Big Ten record, had driven down to the Buckeyes' 1-yard line in the third quarter. Quarterback Luke Altmyer kept the ball himself on third-and-goal, and it looked like he would make it after shedding a tackler behind the line of scrimmage to give Illinois their first touchdown of the game.

Styles had other plans. After initially getting bogged down in a pile at the goal line, Styles saw that Altmyer had kept the handoff and started sprinting down the line of scrimmage. It was a close thing, as technically Altmyer's body was in the end zone, but Styles' effort resulted in him being ruled down inches short of the goal line and forcing a fourth down.

Illinois scored on the next play, but Styles' refusal to give up on a play shined on the drive.

2. Styles flies in for a PBU vs. Rutgers

Most Washington fans know by now that Styles put up some of the best athletic testing numbers for a linebacker in combine history. There's always a question of how that skill set translates to the field, but there were several plays, like the ones he made against Rutgers, that should help ease those concerns.

It was still early in the game, but Rutgers had managed to stay competitive against the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes. Athan Kaliakmanis, who the Commanders took with their final pick in the draft, was looking for a way to ignite the Scarlet Knights' offense and tried connecting with tight end Colin Weber, but once again, Styles had other plans.

Styles was lined up in coverage and almost immediately recognized that Kaliakmanis was looking to target Weber on the play. Weber turned to cut upfield and ran straight into Styles, who knocked the ball away before Weber could maintain possession.

Although Styles is still learning how to play as a linebacker, there are moments where his experience as a safety has helped the transition. His ability to cover is one of them, and the Commanders will certainly try to take advantage of that in their defense.

3. Styles bursts through the line of scrimmage for TFL

Ohio State's defense was full of disruptive players last year, but Styles was among the best with 6.5 tackles for loss -- the fifth-most on the team. He knows how to play downhill and end plays before they begin, and Michigan got firsthand experience in that.

Michigan, which was looking to climb back from a 15-point deficit, tried handing the ball off to Jordan Marshall. Styles took the correct angle and sprinted to the line of scrimmage, getting behind Marshall's blockers and forcing the running back to bounce the play outside.

Styles never gave him that chance, though. He wrapped his arms around Marshall's waist and dragged him down for a loss of two yards to force a third-and-12. Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood's ensuing pass fell incomplete, and Michigan was forced to punt the ball away for the third time that afternoon.

Styles' ability to play downhill should get Commanders fans excited about his potential as a blitzer. He didn't do it often at Ohio State, but Washington's front office and coaching staff believe he shows strong promise in that area.

4. Styles puts the pressure on Carson Beck

Speaking of Styles' potential to expand his skill set, he had a limited resume as a pass rusher for Ohio State with just nine sacks last season. He wasn't put in that role often because of how the Buckeyes used Arvell Reese, but his athleticism does come in handy when rushing off the edge.

Just ask quarterback Carson Beck, who last saw Styles on the field during the College Football Playoff semifinals. On a second-and-8 with less than five minutes in the third quarter, Styles was lined up in the slot but ended up blitzing off the edge. Beck didn't recognize the blitz before the huddle, so he didn't slide his protection to Styles' side, providing the linebacker with a clean shot at collapsing the pocket.

Beck tried rushing upfield to escape, but Styles and his nearly 33-inch arms put a stop to that. He tripped Beck just as he was getting out of the pocket, which allowed the rest of his Ohio State teammates to converge on him for a loss of yardage.

Styles is going to do a little of everything in Daronte Jones' defense, which is designed around players being flexible. He might not have to rush the passer often, but there's enough evidence to suggest that he can handle himself if necessary.

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