Who Is Sonny Styles? The Commanders Rookie Turning Heads, Explained

Who Is Sonny Styles?

If you follow the Washington Commanders, you already know the name Sonny Styles. The rookie linebacker has been one of the best first-year defenders in the NFL this season, and he is right in the middle of the Defensive Rookie of the Year race. He got there the hard way: by switching positions in college, winning a national championship at Ohio State, and then going seventh overall in the NFL draft.

Here is the full story.

The Short Answer

Sonny Styles is a 21-year-old linebacker for the Washington Commanders. He was picked seventh overall in the 2026 NFL draft after playing at Ohio State, where he won the 2024 national championship. He started his college career as a safety, moved to linebacker, and became one of the most athletic defenders in his draft class. Through the early weeks of his rookie season, he has led the Commanders in tackles and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Early Life and Ohio State

Alexander “Sonny” Styles was born on November 24, 2004, and grew up in the Columbus, Ohio, area. Football runs in his family. His father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played at Ohio State and was later drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. His older brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., also played at Ohio State and now plays defensive back for the New Orleans Saints. Sonny has called his brother his best friend and role model.

At Ohio State, Styles started out as a safety for his first two seasons before converting to linebacker, a move that turned out to suit him perfectly. He was part of the Buckeyes team that won the 2024 national championship. By 2025, he led Ohio State with 82 tackles. He graduated from Ohio State in December 2025 with a degree in sport industry.

The 2026 NFL Draft

Styles and his Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese made draft history in April 2026: they were part of the first college program ever to have two linebackers picked in the top 10 of the same draft. The New York Giants took Reese fifth overall, and two picks later the Commanders took Styles seventh overall. Both players chose to wear No. 52 in the NFL.

Styles backed up the pick at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, both the top marks for linebackers. The Commanders then signed him to a rookie contract reported to be worth $37.2 million.

His Rookie Season So Far

Styles wasted no time. In Week 1, he announced himself by sacking Saquon Barkley. In Week 3, he played a key role in Washington’s upset win over the Seattle Seahawks, recording five tackles, a quarterback hit, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception, which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Through his first five games, he had 33 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble. By the team’s bye week, after six games, his line had grown to 46 tackles, which led the team, along with three tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and four passes defensed. He has also worn the green dot, the helmet communicator that marks the defense’s on-field organizer, at times when veteran Frankie Luvu was out.

That all-around production is why analysts rate him so highly. Pro Football Focus gave him an 85.2 coverage grade through four games, third among 74 qualifying linebackers, and Bleacher Report ranked him No. 1 among all rookies after four weeks. NFL.com’s rookie rankings also put him first among defensive rookies at the quarter mark of the season.

The Rookie of the Year Race

The big storyline around Styles is his friendly rivalry with Arvell Reese. The two shared a linebacker room at Ohio State, and on October 11, they met for the first time as NFC East rivals when the Commanders hosted the Giants. Styles led all players with 13 tackles in that game, his highest single-game mark at that point, while Reese tied for his team’s lead with nine tackles and added a sack of Jayden Daniels. The game ended in a 27-27 tie, but both rookies backed up their Rookie of the Year cases.

Styles has also drawn a big comparison: San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Styles reminded him of All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner when watching him on tape. That is high praise for a player who has only been playing linebacker for about three years.

Why People Are Searching for Him Now

Styles is trending as Commanders fans and fantasy players catch on to what the numbers already show: Washington may have found a defensive anchor for years to come with a top-10 pick at a position teams do not usually spend that high on. Off-the-ball linebacker is not normally a premium draft position, but Styles’ size, speed and coverage ability are making the pick look smart.

The Commanders have struggled as a team this season, sitting near the bottom of the league in passing yards and points allowed. Styles is one of the bright spots, and his weekly progress is now one of the main reasons to watch Washington’s defense.

Quick Facts

Full name: Alexander “Sonny” Styles
Born: November 24, 2004
Team: Washington Commanders, No. 52
Position: Linebacker
College: Ohio State (2022-2025), 2024 national champion
Draft: 7th overall, 2026 NFL draft
Family: Brother Lorenzo Styles Jr. (New Orleans Saints); father Lorenzo Styles Sr. (Ohio State, Atlanta Falcons)
Early honors: NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3, 2026)

What Comes Next

The rest of Styles’ rookie season will decide the Defensive Rookie of the Year race, and his matchup history with Reese will keep drawing attention every time the Commanders and Giants meet. For now, the early verdict is clear: the seventh pick is playing like a foundational player, not just a promising rookie.