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Commanders' Sonny Styles Just Made the Defensive Rookie of the Year Race More Interesting

Sonny Styles delivered a career-high 13 tackles against former Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese, strengthening his early Defensive Rookie of the Year case despite Washington's frustrating tie.
Henry Brown|
Oct 4, 2026; Tottenham, ENG; Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles (52) runs on the field during the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2026; Tottenham, ENG; Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles (52) runs on the field during the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Washington Commanders

Say what you will about the Washington Commanders; there's plenty worth airing out considering their 1-3-1 record, but they're not talentless.

Even if their recent draft history and fuzzy team-building ambitions have clouded the squad's attempts at recapturing the magic of their 2024 run, they can only fail so often with the few prospect gems they've chosen. That sentiment doesn't apply only to prized centerpiece Jayden Daniels, either; just as they found their quarterback with that No. 2 draft pick back in 2024, they seem to have similarly nabbed their defensive star of the future by signing up for the Sonny Styles experience this past offseason.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes Linebacker Sonny Styles
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles is selected by the Washington Commanders as the number seven pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He wasted no time looking like a premium prospect, having already tallied 33 tackles through his first five professional outings. That mark is tied for second on Washington, indicating just how valuable he's been as a do-it-all defender who can generate pressure, stop the run, and defend in coverage whenever he's asked to pick up an assignment.

He had the chance to build on his still-lagging reputation in the Commanders' Week 5 duel against the New York Giants, a game that left a sour taste in most Washington fans' mouths following a 27-27 tie. They may have blown their chance to make early divisional noise by falling winless to each of their three NFC East rivals, but Styles showed up when tasked with rising to the occasion against Arvell Reese.

Styles' Growing Stature

The former Ohio State Buckeyes had to transition from a set of defensive NCAA Championship-winning stars to opponents with two top-10 selections in the past NFL Draft, and they both backed up their early Defensive Rookie of the Year cases with statistically proficient outings. While Styles led all players with 13 total tackles, his highest in-game mark yet, Reese tied for his own squad’s lead with nine, and a Daniels sack to boot.

He still couldn't catch Daniels in a footrace, but who can?

Conversely, Styles did his best work blowing up numerous Giants attempts at beating Washington's defense on the ground, further flexing his defense's greatest strength. They're among the league's better run defenses in total rushing yards allowed, rushing yards per carry, rushing touchdowns, and total rushing attempts, having scared most opponents off from beating the Commanders through the dogpile.

The tradeoff has, of course, shown up in the Commanders' porous aerial defense, but that's not on Styles. He can't do everything, but he can come close to seamlessly transitioning between defensive duties. Reese also looks incredible as a mammoth disruptor, as the two commemorate their joint early greatness with a postgame jersey swap.

Washington's brass faces tough decisions in the coming weeks, after a disappointing season following a summer of opportunity, but they can at least appreciate the one unadulterated long-term franchise swing that's emerged through the first month-plus of the season. Styles is the truth, and management ought to build around his talents far more efficiently than it has around Daniels.

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Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, The Capital Gazette, and The Lead. A Bowie, MD, native, he also handles On SI’s Wizards beat, extending his DMV coverage, and has earned his journalism degree from the University of Maryland.

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