Sonny Styles is wasting no time making his mark in the NFL.
The former Ohio State linebacker, taken seventh overall by the Washington Commanders, has already landed NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a huge showing in Washington’s 33-31 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
Styles was everywhere in that win. He finished with five total tackles and forced a fumble early in the game, then added an interception and two passes defended.
One of those breakups came on fellow rookie Jadarian Price on a wheel route in the second quarter, a play that kept Washington from giving up an easy completion. His interception in the third quarter turned into a Commanders touchdown on the very next drive.
For a rookie, the production has piled up fast. Through the season, Styles has 12 tackles, 1.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, one interception and one forced fumble. He’s been on the field for 170 defensive snaps, which works out to 96 percent for the rookie, a clear sign that head coach Dan Quinn trusts him already.
The award also puts Styles in a small but notable group. He’s the second rookie to earn weekly defensive honors in the 2026 regular season, following Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses, who was named the AFC’s top defensive player for Week 2.
The early recognition has already shown up in the betting markets too. Styles has the third-shortest odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year across several sportsbooks, with his line sitting between +600 and +700, the best among Buckeyes.
His schedule is about to get even more interesting. Washington heads to London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday to face Indianapolis in Week 4, and Styles should run into a familiar Ohio State name there in Colts sixth-round rookie Caden Curry.
After that comes another matchup with a former Buckeye defender in Week 5, when the Commanders meet Arvell Reese and the Giants. That same pairing comes back in Week 10 for a Thursday night prime-time game.
There’s more Ohio State crossover later, too. Washington is set to play Houston in Week 14, which would line Styles up against second-round defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, though McDonald has not yet played an NFL snap because of injury. The Commanders already saw safety Caleb Downs and the Cowboys in Week 2, and they’ll face them again in Week 18 to close out the regular season.
In Other News...
Julian Sayin Sends Ohio State Offense A Clear Warning Before Iowa
Julian Sayin left the Illinois game sounding more like a quarterback settling into the bigger picture than one looking for a quick victory lap. He pointed to the offense's steady progress, the value of keeping drives alive with his legs, and the growing comfort level around him as young receivers continue to take on larger roles. Jeremiah Smith has been a central part of that mix, and Sayin also credited the veteran offensive linemen for helping stabilize things up front as the Buckeyes keep building.
The next test comes with another road trip, and Sayin made it clear those spots demand sharper execution and a little more maturity from everyone involved. Iowa is the kind of place where the margin for error can shrink fast, and Ohio State's quarterback knows the offense cannot treat this as a finished product. The message from Sayin was simple enough: the Buckeyes have come a long way, but the real work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Still Has One Passing Game Issue Jeremiah Smith Cant Solve
Jeremiah Smith has been everything Ohio State could have hoped for in the passing game, and then some. The offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, pointed to the wideouts exceptional production, with Jeremiah Smith leading the nation in receiving yards and touchdowns, while the Buckeyes continue to lean on him as the centerpiece of the aerial attack.
Still, the passing game has one lingering question beyond its star. Ohio State is trying to establish a reliable second option, with Devin McCuin currently sitting as the teams second-leading receiver, and coaches and players have kept stressing that the offense will need more than one target to keep evolving. The message from inside the program is clear enough: the Buckeyes are pleased with the production they have, but they also know the next layer of consistency has to come from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One Huge Chance To Make A National Statement
Ohio State heads into a rare early measuring-stick game with a chance to leave no doubt about where it stands nationally. The Buckeyes have looked sharp enough to build real momentum, and the next step comes in a difficult road setting where every possession matters and every explosive play carries extra weight.
Jeremiah Smith remains one of the biggest reasons this game has taken on added intrigue, even beyond the team stakes around him. With the matchup set against unbeaten Iowa and its stingy defense at Kinnick Stadium, Ohio State will also be watching how Julian Sayin handles the moment and whether the defense can create the kind of turnovers that turn a good win into something louder. [Read more 🡒]