Super Bowl XVII-winning Washington Redskins/Commanders quarterback Joe Theismann overwhelmingly approves of the franchise selecting Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Not only that, but Theismann was clearly complimentary of the Ohio State Buckeyes' ability to develop NFL-caliber talent that actually sticks in the pros.
Theismann gave me the glowing review during a recent discussion we had in anticipation of the 2026 American Century Championship. Theismann will be one of over 90 celebrities taking part in the annual celebrity golf tournament on NBC and Peacock. The event takes place at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort from July 8-12.
"I think it's a great pick. I think it's a terrific pick. He's big, he's strong, he's fast. He was one of the most coveted defensive guys. Ohio State put a lot of players in. They've had, the last couple of years, they've had an incredible amount of players come into the NFL, and every one of them just about becomes a starter," Theismann told me.
"But Sonny is one of those guys who can really help this football team. He'll grow into the position, probably in the middle, where Bobby Wagner's held it down for a while now. What a great mentor, a great teacher, he'd be, around the guys...I just think that it was the choice they had to make, to be honest with you. They added a lot of different players in free agency, but Sonny was the one who just made so much sense."
OSU, of course, sent 11 players to the 2026 NFL draft. Styles was one of four first-rounders, along with receiver Carnell Tate, EDGE Arvell Reese, and safety Caleb Downs, who were all taken within the top 11. Their recent track record of NFL success includes NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, now the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, as well as breakout rookies, receiver Emeka Egbuka, and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.
Some of the players Washington added in free agency this past March that Theismann was alluding to include edge-rushers Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu, and linebacker Leo Chenal.
Bobby Wagner is notably still a free agent, but the Commanders appear set to replace him with Styles, not lean on him to bridge the gap to Styles. Luckily, Styles represents one of the most spectacular prospects, on paper, the NFL has ever seen. Styles ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and possesses elite coverage abilities after switching from a safety to the middle. He was a key member of not only a national championship win in January 2025, but the 12-0 regular season that succeeded it.
Styles, evidently, has the approval of one of his new team's most legendary stars.
Sonny Styles is a strong NFL Rookie of the Year candidate in 2026
In Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' schemes, Styles will be blitzing the A-gap, dropping back in coverage, and serving as a QB spy. As the green-dot helmet signal-caller, Styles will be the heart and soul of D.C.'s defense.
Those narratives, and the myriad highlight plays he'll produce from all over the field, will make Styles a strong NFL Rookie of the Year candidate this coming fall. That's doubly true if Jayden Daniels could get the offense back on track, and Washington wins a lot of games again.
2025 was enough of a step back for the Commanders to make Styles' rise seem even more impactful in 2026, especially if the 26.5 points per game figure Washington's defense had last year falls. Voters will love that angle, and love Styles for driving it.
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