PITTSBURGH, PA (WTKR)- When it was their turn to pick on Thursday night, the Washington Commanders took the opportunity to address their defense that was one of the worst in the NFL in 2025.
The Commanders selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Styles, who shifted from safety to linebacker prior to his junior year with the Buckeyes, led his team with 82 tackles last season en route to First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten honors. He played in 55 games and made 41 starts in his four years at OSU.
The burgundy and gold hopes the addition of Styles will help bolster a defense that was 27th in points allowed (26.5 ppg) and last in yards allowed (384.0 ypg) in 2025. The Commanders were also the oldest team in the league last season with an average player age of 28.6 years old. That marked the oldest roster in the NFL since 2007.
Styles was one of four Ohio State players to go in the first 11 picks of the draft. Wide receiver Carnell Tate and linebacker Arvell Reese were picked by the Titans and Giants with picks four and five, respectively. The Cowboys took safety Caleb Downs at No. 11.
As was widely predicted, the Raiders took Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick.
Washington will make five picks the next two days of the NFL Draft. The squad will make one pick Friday in round three (pick 71), before making four selections Saturday.
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