Sonny Styles selected seventh overall by Washington Commanders in NFL Draft

COLUMBUS — Sonny Styles left high school a year early and still became an instant-impact Ohio State star. His journey from five-star prospect to Buckeyes star defender to first-round draft pick is now complete.

Styles was selected by the Washington Commanders with the seventh overall pick Thursday night, becoming the latest Ohio State standout from last year’s defense to fly off the draft board in the top half of the first round.

He’s the third Buckeyes star to be selected Thursday night, joining wide receiver Carnell Tate (fourth overall to the Tennessee Titans) and linebacker Arvell Reese (fifth overall to the New York Giants).

He and fellow starting linebacker Arvell Reese, who went No. 5 overall to the New York Giants on Thursday night, have now become the first Ohio State linebackers to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2016, when Darren Lee did it. They’re also be the first-ever pair of linebackers from the same college to be selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft.

Styles was a three-year starter at Ohio Sate, one at safety and two at linebacker. During his final season, he missed one tackle all year as the team’s leading tackler and leader of the defense. He was a team captain, but more importantly he was the Block O recipient, a highlight of what he meant to the Buckeyes locker room and program as a whole.

Sonny Styles compiled 244 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, one interception, nine passes deflected, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his four-year playing career at Ohio State. He won a national title and was the leader of the country’s best defense two years running. He then went to the NFL Combine and stole the spotlight. His measurements, 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, had Indianapolis buzzing early. His testing numbers, including a 4.46 40-yard dash, 43.5-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-2 broad jump, sent the draft industrial complex into a full-fledged frenzy.

Now he’s heading to Washington as the newest member of the Commanders. He was selected with the seventh pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ohio State players still available in 2026 NFL Draft

+ SAF Caleb Downs
+ DT Kayden McDonald
+ TE Max Klare
+ CB Davison Igbinosun
+ TE Will Kacmarek
+ DE Caden Curry
+ DB Lorenzo Styles Jr.
+ DT Tywone Malone
+ RB CJ Donaldson
+ OT Ethan Onianwa
+ LB Joey Velazquez
+ K Jayden Fielding
+ LS Colin Johnson
+ LS John Ferlmann