2026 NFL draft: Washington Commanders select LB Sonny Styles at No. 7

2026 NFL draft: Washington Commanders select LB Sonny Styles at No. 7

With the seventh pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Washington Commanders selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.

Styles had been linked to the Commanders for quite some time leading up to the draft and is arguably the best all-around athlete in this year's class. He was one of several Ohio State players who appeared frequently in mock drafts connected to the New York Giants.

Styles, who is 6'5 and 244 lbs, started all 14 games for the Buckeyes in 2025, serving as a team captain while earning second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors.

He comes from a strong football family. His father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played at Ohio State and spent six years in the NFL. His older brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., played the past two seasons at Ohio State after transferring from Notre Dame.

Styles will join free-agent acquisitions Leo Chenal, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Odafe Oweh as part of Adam Peters' desire to make the Commanders' defense younger and faster. He'll replace future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner as the leader of Washington's defense.

A former safety who transitioned to linebacker, Styles emerged as a leader at Ohio State and was named a captain in his final season. The Commanders hope that his combination of size and speed will allow him to become a cornerstone player for years to come.