Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are about to share the same field for the first time as NFL opponents, and the timing could hardly be better for a conversation about Defensive Rookie of the Year.
On Sunday, Oct. 11, the Washington Commanders host the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium in a matchup that puts the two former Ohio State linebackers on opposite sides of an NFC East rivalry. The pairing carries extra weight because both were part of draft history back in April, when Ohio State became the first college program to have two linebackers taken in the top 10 of the same draft.
The Giants grabbed Reese at No. 5, then Washington followed two picks later with Styles at No. 7.
Both also chose No. 52 when they selected their NFL numbers.
For now, NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice has Styles No. 1 and Reese No. 2 among defensive rookies, though that ranking only tells part of the story. Both players helped power Ohio State’s 2024 national championship team, and both left Columbus with big production behind them. In 2025, Styles led the Buckeyes with 82 tackles, while Reese added 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
They also came into the league with plenty of respect for each other. At a media event in August of 2025, Reese said Styles helped him most with the work that happens before kickoff: "I have learned a lot from Sonny, and it's more off the field.
How you prepare for games, how he prepares practice to practice, and how intentional he is, Sonny is a great person." Styles, meanwhile, pointed to Reese’s growth between the ears: "I would say mentally, just understanding the game."
Styles added that Reese already had the physical ability, but a stronger grasp of the game was helping him play faster and use it.
Through four games with Washington, Styles has piled up 20 tackles, including two for loss, along with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and two passes defensed. He had eight tackles against Indy this past weekend, one week after becoming the franchise’s first rookie linebacker to record an interception, a forced fumble, and multiple passes defensed in a single game.
That performance earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. It also pushed him into the DROY conversation in a real way, especially because he’s doing damage beyond the tackle column.
PFF has backed that up with an 85.2 coverage grade through four games, third among 74 qualifying linebackers.
Reese has built a strong case of his own. In four games, he has 34 tackles, three for loss, plus four passes defensed, one interception, and two quarterback hits.
Against Arizona this past Sunday, he posted nine tackles, three passes defensed, and his first NFL interception. PFF gives him 13 defensive stops and just one missed tackle, compared with seven stops and four missed tackles for Styles.
That gives Reese the edge so far in tackling volume and consistency. His overall PFF grade is also right there with Styles, 77.1 to 76.9, and he has played more snaps as well, 243 to 219.
Right now, the race feels even. Styles has the stronger coverage grade, plus a sack and a forced fumble.
Reese brings the higher tackle total, more stops, and fewer missed tackles. Either one can make a legitimate case for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
What makes Sunday even more compelling is that both are wearing No. 52, both came from the same college room, and both clearly admire the other’s game. Now they’ll meet as division rivals, with everyone watching the same number on both defenses for different reasons.
In Other News...
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The move also sharpened the scrutiny on general manager Adam Peters, whose draft decisions have already been under the microscope beyond a few first-round hits. For a team that has gone 5-16 since its 2024 NFC Championship appearance, even a fairly routine roster move can feed the bigger question of how much long-term value Peters is actually finding on draft weekend. [Read more 🡒]
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Commanders Have One Big Malik Nabers Concern Heading Into Sunday
Matt Nagy said the Giants are trying to manage one of the more familiar problems in modern NFL offenses: a star receiver who wants the ball as often as possible. He likened Malik Nabers desire for more targets to what he once saw with Travis Kelce in Kansas City, and said part of the job is understanding a players emotions while still keeping the offense moving. Nagy also said he had a positive conversation with Nabers about finding ways to get him more involved.
For Washington, the bigger concern is less about the conversation than Nabers availability and usage on Sunday. The rookie wideout was dealing with a sore knee during midweek practices, and while he was expected to suit up against the Commanders, his workload remained an open question. If hes out there, Washington still has to account for a talent the Giants clearly want to feed. [Read more 🡒]