Grading Commanders' First Round Pick of Sonny Styles

The Washington Commanders' seventh overall pick was one of the most discussed and unknown heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. With so many options on the table for general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, they would have to see how the board fell ahead of them to determine their next move.

While the Commanders could have gone offense, they saw two of their likely targets on that side of the ball come off before them, with Jeremiyah Love going to the Arizona Cardinals and Carnell Tate being picked up by the Tennessee Titans.

Thus, Washington decided to focus on the defensive side of the ball, ultimately passing on Caleb Downs and Rueben Bain Jr. and taking the best off-ball linebacker of the 2026 rookie class, Ohio State's Sonny Styles.

The Grade: B

Adam Peters sure does love himself an athlete. Styles scored a perfect Relative Athletic Score (RAS) with a 9.99, and with his elite testing at the combine, Styles' play style of being able to fly around the field will be a great asset in the NFC East, which features versatile quarterbacks and skill players.

Washington Commanders LB Sonny Style — Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A high-character player, Styles will help the Commanders' defense in a multitude of ways, with his leadership playing a front-and-center role. He's a three-down linebacker who excels in every facet of the game, holding it down in coverage while also showing that he isn't afraid to meet backs in the hole as a run stopper.

Why It's Not Higher

There is much to love about taking Styles seventh overall, but there are also some questions about taking him.

First, the positional value of an off-ball linebacker in the first round. Taking an off-ball backer in the first hasn't historically paid off, so the Commanders are ultimately taking a big gamble on Styles being an outlier.

Another reason why the grade isn't higher for the selection of Styles is due to the fact that the Commanders had bigger needs elsewhere.

Dallas Cowboys S Caleb Down — Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

They needed a legit WR2 next to Terry McLaurin for Jayden Daniels to throw to, but they passed on both Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon. They also could have used a cornerback or safety with the secondary being the worst in the league in 2025, but they also passed on Caleb Downs, who coincidentally was drafted by the division rival Dallas Cowboys, with Mansoor Delane going a pick ahead of them. Edge rusher could have been another spot to target, given the two one-year deals they signed in K'Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu.

Finally, it will be interesting to see how Styles will fit into the new defensive scheme in Washington, given that Frankie Luvu and recently signed Leo Chenal have been presumed starters, and the organization is still high on the young up-and-comer Jordan Magee.

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