Sonny Styles reveals unique reason he chose No. 52 jersey as Commanders rookie lands massive minicamp praise
Sonny Styles turned heads at Washington Commanders rookie camp Friday, and has been described as ‘head and shoulders’ above his new teammates.
The Commanders officially signed all six members of their 2026 NFL Draft class last week, which is headlined by the former Ohio State linebacker.
Styles arrives as the No. 7 overall pick, and has already made a massive impression in Washington.
Head coach Dan Quinn, who will face mounting pressure in 2026, believes he’s destined for big things in the pros.
“There are no limits on what I think he can become,” Quinn said Friday afternoon, moments before the linebacker joined others on the field for rookie minicamp.
“But I’m going to let the whole process really play all the way through because there’s a lot to go through.”
Quinn, indeed, would have enjoyed what followed.
Sonny Styles lands major minicamp praise
As did Washington Post writer Les Carpenter, who offered Styles huge praise after his early practice session with the Commanders.
“Rookie camps are terrible places for first impressions,” Carpenter began.
“Players are quickly fed plays before being thrown onto a field with teammates they barely know. No tackling. No hitting. Cohesion is impossible. Brilliance rarely happens.
“And yet there was a moment that stood out from Friday’s jumble of broken plays and blown coverages.”
Carpenter then detailed a play that involved Styles introducing himself on the practice field.
He wrote: “A pass was thrown to second-year wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, who caught the ball seemingly in the open, nobody around, until he turned and found himself staring at the chest of Styles, who had rumbled from nearly across the field, racing so hard he actually knocked Brooks to the ground, apologetically raising his hands as if to say he had tried to keep from hitting Brooks but couldn’t help himself.
“A big part of the reason Styles is with the Commanders is for his ability not to slow down on such plays in games.
“At Ohio State, he was the rangy kind of linebacker Washington Coach Dan Quinn loves: able to sprint effortlessly from one sideline to the other, flying in to knock down receivers before they even start running.”
Styles’ teammates will likely have to get used to his practice field hustle over the coming weeks and months — and opponents in the NFL might soon take notice of such reports.
Carpenter added that Friday’s session was a ‘celebration’ of the new Commanders linebacker, who some in the locker room are already describing as a ‘natural leader’ and a ‘floor general.’
The man himself appears ready to take it all in his stride.
Sonny Styles details NFL jersey choice
In minicamp, Styles was spotted wearing the No. 52 jersey — one he has chosen to pay homage to the likes of Patrick Willis and Ray Lewis, who came before him.
It will also serve as a reminder of his draft position.
“I’m not really a big number guy,” Styles said, detailing the decision.
“Like, I wasn’t really big into single digits. I like zero. Mikey (Sainristil) has zero.”
He then explained how he landed on his new number.
Styles explained: “You know, I remember growing up watching like Patrick Willis, Ray Lewis. So like, 52 would be cool.
“And then my dad was like, ‘Hey, five plus two is seven, so that’s your draft pick.’ I was like, man, that’s cool.
“So that’s really how I landed on it.”
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