Hall of Fame coach loves Commanders' pick of Sonny Styles

Bill Cowher knows defense. A starting linebacker at N.C. State, Cowher would spend six years in the NFL before turning to coaching. In 1985, Marty Schottenheimer hired Cowher as a defensive assistant, then promoted him to defensive coordinator in 1989, when Cowher was only 31. Three years later, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Cowher as head coach, a position he held for 15 years before retiring after the 2006 season.

Since retirement, Cowher was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and has served as an analyst for CBS Sports since 2007. During the 2026 NFL Draft, Cowher joined Pat McAfee and others live in Pittsburgh for The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular. Cowher and his co-hosts and guests provided analysis for each pick. One player Cowher really liked was Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, who went No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders.

McAfee asked Cowher if he believed Styles would've been a "good Coach Cowher?" Cowher's response: "Sonny Styles? Oh, 100%?"

Cowher then

"Getting a guy that can operate your defense and make the adjustments, which he did for (Ohio State DC) Matt Patricia," Cowher said. "He would actually just make adjustments on the field. This guy is a general, a quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. He's a great pickup for Dan Quinn"

We told you Cowher knows defense.

Part of the excitement surrounding Styles goes beyond his athletic ability. He loves football. He has a high football IQ, as his dad played linebacker at Ohio State and won a Super Bowl in the NFL. Additionally, his NFL future isn't a projection. He's already played in an NFL-style defense for Patricia at Ohio State. Patricia is a former NFL head coach and a longtime defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Hall of Fame coach loves Sonny Styles