Top NFL Draft prospect confirms Commanders' interest in him, which is awful news for one hopeful player

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Josh Taylor | Last updated Mar 27, 2026 2:35 PM ET

The Washington Commanders are looking to continue their roster overhaul after an active free agency by selecting the future of the franchise in the 2026 NFL Draft.

General manager Adam Peters only has six picks to work with as of now, and they have to hit on all of them. The Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick, and it has to be an impactful player. They've been linked to many options in the first round so far, and one top prospect joins the list after confirming he has a top-30 visit with the Commanders.

This is great news for the defense, but awful news for a hopeful young player.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles confirms top-30 visit with the Commanders

The Commanders have scheduled many top-30 visits with players who could be an option with the No. 7 overall pick, and now they're meeting with LB Sonny Styles, who could even go in the top-5. Styles told Kay Adams on the Up and Adams Show that he's met with many teams and has plenty of top-30 visits coming up, including the Commanders.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles says he has already visited with the Jets and has the Cowboys, Commanders, and Bengals coming up @sonnystyles_ | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/fQ7QLUsOkn
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 26, 2026

Styles should be near the top of the Commanders' list after seeing him have one of the most impressive draft processes so far with a historic NFL Scouting Combine performance. They also showed him a lot of interest at the Ohio State Buckeyes Pro Day. The 6-5, 244-pound athletic freak ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and had an elite 43.5" vertical jump, which helped him finish with a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score.

Sonny Styles is a LB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.99 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 4 out of 3346 LB from 1987 to 2026.

Pending pro dayhttps://t.co/Ir085MXpgu pic.twitter.com/A3q08QauQ2
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 26, 2026

How Sonny Styles would impact the Commanders

Styles would be an immediate impact player, and honestly, the perfect fit for Daronte Jones' defense. He's an elite run defender who only missed two tackles all season, which didn't come until the College Football Playoffs. Styles is also a high-end coverage linebacker as a converted safety, and he has the speed to close in on anyone across the field.

Sonny Styles is my #1 overall player in the 2026 NFL Draft ⭐️

He put up a 9.99 RAS, but his film is so good that athletic testing feels like an afterthought. He is the only blue chip prospect in this year’s class: pic.twitter.com/5ajzsbfvQR
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 4, 2026

Styles wouldn't just be a LB for the Commanders, but potentially a Fred Warner caliber type of player on defense, which also isn't good news for young LB Jordan Magee . The Commanders are expecting a huge season from Frankie Luvu under Jones after a down season last year. They also went out and signed young LB Leo Chenal in free agency, who will thrive in Washington.

If they draft Styles, it's very unlikely Magee sees the field much except for certain situations. That shouldn't matter, however, because the Commanders need to upgrade at all costs. Luvu is only under contract for one more season as well, so Styles and Chenal could be the future of the defense.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: