Which legendary linebackers inspired Sonny Styles’ Commanders number

Selected with the seventh overall pick by the Washington Commanders in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, rookie linebacker Sonny Styles has officially signed his rookie deal with the franchise and is looking forward to what both he and the franchise hope will be a long and fruitful NFL career.

Wearing his new Commanders jersey for the first time, Styles went with No. 52, which he explained was a tribute to legendary linebackers Patrick Willis of San Francisco 49ers fame, along with former Baltimore Ravens icon Ray Lewis, both of whom wore the same number.

“I’m not a big number guy,” Styles said via Hogs Haven. “I wasn’t big into single digits; I liked No. 0. Mikey has zero, so I was telling Coach (Ken) Norton that, when I look into the room, with London Fletcher (No. 59) on the wall, LaVar Arington (No. 56) and I think Ken Harvey (No. 57) and Monte Coleman (No. 51), and it was all like 50s numbers. I was gonna take a 50 number, and growing up I would watch Patrick Willis, Ray Lewis, and I thought No. 52 would be cool. Then my dad (pointed out that) five plus two is seven, which was the number of my draft pick. I thought it was pretty cool. That’s how I landed on it. I didn’t have a special number or whatever.”

Styles played in 53 games with the Buckeyes, helping them capture the 2024 College Football National Championship while earning First-Team All-American honors in 2025; he also earned Second-Team All-American honors the previous year. He also racked up 244 combined tackles with nine sacks, numbers the Commanders hope he can replicate in the NFL.

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