The Washington Commanders have found their replacement for linebacker Bobby Wagner. On Thursday, the Commanders used the No. 7 overall pick on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the 2026 NFL Draft.
General manager Adam Peters had a mission this offseason: make the Commanders “younger and faster.” It’s been a common theme since free agency began last month. Washington signed over a dozen free agents from outside the organization, focusing on players in their mid-20s who were coming off their rookie contracts. Many of those newcomers were signed on the defensive side of the ball in an effort to improve one of the NFL’s worst-ranked defenses.
Wagner, a future Hall of Famer, turns 36 this year and is a free agent. While Washington loves everything about Wagner, the Commanders needed more from the position in 2026. Now, Styles joins a revamped linebacker room that also features Leo Chenal, Frankie Luvu and Jordan Magee.
Styles entered the draft as Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 3-ranked player, with many shocked he was still on the board when the Commanders were on the clock at No. 7.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Next Gen Stats ranked Styles as the second-best value from the first round.
From a Next Gen Stats standpoint, Styles’ profile is about as clean as it gets. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with 32 7/8-inch arms, Styles ran a 4.46 40 at the scouting combine and became the first participant since 2003 to post a sub-4.5 40, 40-plus-inch vertical and 11-plus-foot broad jump at 230-plus pounds. NGS tracking data added even more context: Styles’ 14.39 mph top speed during the short shuttle (4.26 seconds) was the fastest mark by any prospect in Indy since 2023, regardless of position. His 95 overall draft score is the highest by an off-ball linebacker over the last six draft classes, and his 94 athleticism score is the top mark at the position over the last four. He is also one of just two prospects in the 2026 class to clear 90 in all three NGS categories — production, athleticism and overall score — making this one of the clearest analytical value picks of Round 1 this year.
What’s not to love about Styles? In addition to his ridiculous size and athleticism, Styles has elite instincts and is ascending, despite having played only two years as a linebacker.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Commanders LB Sonny Styles a Day 1 value