Washington Commanders NFL draft: Where does Sonny Styles rank in ESPN’s top 100 picks?
The NFL Draft is over. Nowit'stime to pick it apart.
That'showwe'llkill some time untilrookieminicamps and NFL schedule release, taking deeper dives into the picks each team madeand why.
We already know that the Washington Commanders were generally lauded for theirselections,and the valueacquireddespite having just six picks.
Sharp Football Analysiswrotea whole story on it, which you canread right here.
ESPN's Matt Millercame up witha fun way to break the draft down beyond typical letter grades.He ranked the top 100 selections made in the draft regardless ofround.
You can read the whole story by clicking the tweet below:
- Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 29, 2026
Commanders first-round pick Sonny Styles came in at No. 12, with two other Washington selections making the cut.
Before we get to the selections,here'ssome background, directly from Miller, on how he built his list.
Talent isa big factorin these rankings, but we dove deeper than that. We factored in value (where a player was drafted vs. where he wasranked predraft), scheme fit, how theselectionaddressed a need, what the prospect brings on the field and what draft assets were given up or addedvia tradein getting each player. Every round is represented, and 40% of this list consists of Day 3 picks."
Miller had Styles in the top 12.
Here's his rationale for Styles earning the No. 12 slot: Styles is a future star at middle linebacker and one of my favorite picks now that we knowhe'llbe working in Dan Quinn's defense. Styles' range and aggressive ability in the backfield should give him a chance to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year in Quinn's scheme, and itwouldn'tbe a surprise if he becomes the green dot" linebacker, calling plays early in his career. Mypre-draftcomp for Styles wasFred Warner, and if he hits that ceiling the Commanders' defense could become one of the league's best in a hurry."
Here'sthe list of Miller's picks of the entire NFL draft ranked higher than the Stylesselection:
1. S Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys (Round 1, Pick 11)
2. CB Jermod McCoy, Las Vegas Raiders (Round 4, Pick 101)
3. CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 1, Pick 6)
4. WR Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles (Round 1, Pick 20)
5. WR. Omar Cooper Jr., New York Gets (Round 1, Pick 30)
6. EDGE David Bailey, New York Jets (Round 1, Pick 2)
7. RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals (Round 1, Pick 3)
8. CB D'Angelo Ponds, New York Jets (Round 2, Pick 50)
9. QB Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders (Round 1, Pick 1)
10. LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants (Round 1, Pick 5)
11. S Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears (Round 1, Pick 25)
12. LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders (Round 1, Pick 7)
There were two other Commanders in the top 100 picks.
Former Clemson receiver Antonio Williams (Round 3, Pick 71) came in at No. 62 on this list.
Miller's take: Itwouldn'thave been a surprise to see Washington draft a wide receiver in Round 1 - they might have if Tate were available. With noselectionin Round 2, drafting a wideout in Round 3 became a mustgivenTerry McLaurins age (31) and the lack of obvious options behind him. Williams is a silky-smooth route runner who can line up on the outside or in the slot. The Commanders might have found a future WR1 in Round 3."
Former Penn State running back Krayton Allen (Round 6, Pick 187) showed up here at No. 96 overall.
Miller's take: Rachaad White,Jerome FordandJacory Croskey-Merrittmake up Washington's backfield, meaning Allen will havea very goodshot at making the roster as a sixth-round pick and carving out an immediate role. Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Penn State, Allen seemed to get better as a blocker last season, too, which should add to his value."
Should Styles have been ranked higher than No. 12? Is it a plus that Allen, a sixth-round pick, is on the list? Let's discuss in the comments below.