His phone lit up around 8:40 p.m. with a “spam” warning, and it wasn’t until his agent assured him it wasn’t a risk that former Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles received the news he long hoped to hear.The Commanders selected Styles with the seventh pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday, giving their defense an immediate boost with one of this year’s most versatile and athletic prospects.How ironic to honor Bobby Wagner and then announce the Commanders have drafted his likely replacement in Sonny Styles— Resh (@reshmanuel) April 24, 2026At 6-feet-5, with a 244-pound frame and near-81-inch wingspan, Styles has the coveted size and length for the position, combined with rare speed and athleticism. He can cover both tight ends and slot receivers, thanks in part to his two years at safety before converting to linebacker in 2024.

He also developed into one of the draft’s most consistent tacklers, missing only two attempts last year for the Buckeyes.Yet Styles’ greatest strengths may be the intangible parts of his game. He can quickly diagnose offenses and react accordingly, rarely appearing as a player with minimal experience at the position. He was also voted a team captain and given the prestigious “Block O” jersey last year, awarded annually at Ohio State to the player who exemplifies toughness, accountability and high character.Commanders.com5 things to know about LB Sonny StylesHe elevates a defense in need of playmakers.The Commanders’ defensive struggles are well-known by now, so there’s no need to rehash those issues.

It was clear that the team wanted to inject the unit with talent this offseason, and to their credit, they did that in free agency.Washington put itself in position to add the best player available in the draft, and that ended up being Styles, even though Peters thought the chances of him getting to them were low. Peters said he’s been smiling since they drafted Styles, and it’s easy to see why. The linebacker is the same height as Calvin Johnson and had the same 40-yard dash time as Bijan Robinson as well as the same broad jump as Julio Jones all while being just eight pounds lighter than Derrick Henry.Styles’ best trait, however, is that he might be the best playmaker in the draft.

The Commanders were in serious need of that on defense, and Styles now joins a unit led by a coordinator in Daronte Jones who has a history of using creativity in his scheme.Commanders RoundtableSonny Styles Had A Feeling He Would Become a Washington CommanderFormer Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles admitted after his name was called that he woke up to inform his family that he knew he was headed to the Washington Commander.“It was a gut feeling. I think it was God. I think it was the people in the building.

It was great people in the building, everyone. From head coach, GM all the way down to the player development – everyone. It’s a bunch of great people and I think I was drawn to that and it just felt like it was meant to be.”The Commanders sent a large contingent of staffers out to Columbus for Ohio State’s Pro Day earlier this month given the Buckeyes produced three players who materialized into top seven picks while Caleb Downs went 11th overall to the Dallas Cowboys.

Styles was also among the long list of top draft prospects to return to Washington for the top-30 visit ahead of the draft, giving the athletic linebacker a chance to connect with the full staff a closer feel for the organization. He left feeling like Washington was a realistic landing spot.“I think you just come in the bu