Washington Selects Athletic Ohio State Linebacker Sonny [Last Name] with No. 7 Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

The Washington Commanders selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026.

Styles, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 244 pounds, was a First-Team All-American and All-Big Ten selection in 2025 after leading Ohio State with 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and one interception that season.

He recorded a career-high 12 tackles in the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana and posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine, the highest mark by any player over 240 pounds since 1999.

Styles began his Ohio State career as a safety before transitioning to linebacker in 2024, a move that showcased his elite athleticism and versatility. He was unanimously selected for Ohio State’s “Block O” award, recognizing players who exemplify toughness, leadership, and character.

His selection made him the third Ohio State player taken in the top seven of the 2026 NFL Draft, joining Arvell Reese (No. 5, New York Giants) and Caleb Downs (No. 11, Dallas Cowboys) as Buckeyes drafted in the first round.

Ohio State became the first school in NFL draft history to have two linebackers selected in the top 10 picks of the same draft, with Reese and Choosen both going within the first seven selections.

Styles credited his development at Ohio State, particularly over the last two years after switching to linebacker, for preparing him for the NFL, stating that without the program’s support, he and other invited Buckeyes would not have been draft prospects.