ClutchPoints
The Washington Commanders used the No. 7 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on former Ohio State Buckeyes star Sonny Styles. He was regarded as one of the top defensive prospects in this year’s class, and it sounds like Styles is already turning heads at mandatory minicamp.
On Tuesday, head coach Dan Quinn compared the 21-year-old linebacker to quarterback Jayden Daniels, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. Quinn claims that Styles is an elite communicator and can get the calls and checks to his teammates, like Daniels commands the huddle.
“Quinn said Sonny Styles is ‘in control’ as communicator on the field,” reported Selby. “Compared him to Jayden in that way with how he’s about to communicate calls and checks.”
An elite signal caller on both sides of the ball is something most football teams wish to have, and it sounds like the Commanders may have it. Although the 2025-26 campaign was one to forget for Daniels, mainly due to injuries, he is still young and has plenty of time to right the ship.
Meanwhile, Sonny Styles is expected to make an immediate impact in the Commanders’ defense. Styles is an ultra-athletic linebacker, as he played safety in his first two seasons at Ohio State. He switched to linebacker in his junior year and never looked back. In the two campaigns as a linebacker for the Buckeyes, Styles recorded 182 combined tackles (94 solo), seven sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Commanders fans may hear plenty of hype throughout the remainder of the offseason regarding Styles’ early development with the team. He will enjoy the mandatory minicamp for now, and then return in July for training camp.
The post Sonny Styles draws eye-opening Jayden Daniels comparison from Commanders HC Dan Quinn appeared first on ClutchPoints.
