The Washington Commanders wasted little time locking up their prized defensive addition.Fresh off being selected seventh overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles has officially put pen to paper on his premium rookie deal that is already set by the league’s rookie wage scale.
Styles is locked into a four-year, $37.21 million rookie deal. The contract is fully guaranteed, giving him the third-most guaranteed money at his position in the league, behind only Roquan Smith and Fred Warner.
Sonny Styles smiles big after signing $37.2 million contract with Washington Commanders
The 21-year-oldsigned his rookie contract before Washington’s minicamp on May 8. Under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, the seventh overall pick receives a predetermined salary. According to Over The Cap, Styles’ deal averages $9,302,898 per year.
Washington’s first-round pick Sonny Styles signed his four-year, fully-guaranteed, $37.2 million contract. pic.twitter.com/8ysQRfUfAW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 8, 2026
Styles is a 6-foot-5, 244-pound linebacker who earned First-Team All-American honors at Ohio State. Over his last two college seasons, he recorded 182 tackles, seven sacks, and one interception.
He further improved his draft position at the NFL Combine with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, an 11-foot-2-inch broad jump, and a 43.5-inch vertical leap.
Dallas Cowboys, Sonny Styles, NFL
Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles (LB25) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Since the current rookie wage scale began in 2011, He is only the sixth linebacker drafted in the top 10, following Isaiah Simmons, Devin White, Devin Bush, Roquan Smith, and Luke Kuechly.
Commanders are vocal about their high expectations for Styles.On the Rich Eisen Show, head coach Dan Quinn described Styles as a “rare” athlete whose size and speed aren’t seen every year. Quinn, who calls himself a “developmental coach,” said he is eager to work with the rookie.
💻 Dan Quinn
The @commanders head coach told us how he wasted no time in taking Sonny Styles at 7th overall and what he’s bringing to the table in DC:#NFL #NFLDraft #HTTC pic.twitter.com/tvUMpeakp4
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) April 30, 2026
The franchise is considering letting Styles call defensive plays, the “green dot” role, which is rare for a rookie. Quinn believes Styles can handle it because he did it at Ohio State. GM Adam Peters also noted that Styles can play multiple linebacker positions and is an effective blitzer.
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Drafting a linebacker this high does create a future financial hurdle. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed to the Detroit Lions, who declined Jack Campbell’s $21.9 million fifth-year option because the NFL groups off-ball linebackers with expensive edge rushers. Washington will eventually face that same high cost.
Styles signed his contract before the May 8 minicamp and has the full support of the front office heading into the season.