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Commanders Take LB Sonny Styles No. 7, Top Draft Value

4/28/2026

Summary

Commanders Draft Styles

Washington Commanders selected linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Styles posted a 9.99 RAS, ranking fourth among 3,480 linebackers.
Sharp Football Analysis gave Washington the top draft-value rating with a –1.71 over-expectation score.
CBS Sports gave draft class an A-grade and named running back Kaytron Allen best-value pick.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, taken in round 7 at pick 223, earned a B overall from Mel Kiper.

Summary

Commanders Draft Rating

Hogs Haven poll gave GM Adam Peters a “B” grade, with 75% rating his draft “A” or “B” and 3% below “C”.
Analysts noted the Commanders’ draft left cornerback and safety positions untouched and warned that early picks on roles like running back or interior offensive line could erode the team’s salary-cap advantage.
Next Gen Stats rated the draft class 75.7 overall (fourth-best) and 75.2 production (third-best behind the Eagles and Jets).

History

Historical Context

When the NFL added two expansion clubs in 1995, the Carolina Panthers selected quarterback Kerry Collins with the fifth overall pick, becoming the franchise’s first draft choice and helping the team reach the NFC Championship in 1996. That early high-profile pick set a precedent for using top rookie selections to shape roster building, a trend echoed in the Commanders’ 2026 selection of linebacker Sonny Styles.

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Commanders Draft Styles

Washington Commanders selected linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Styles posted a 9.99 RAS, ranking fourth among 3,480 linebackers.
Sharp Football Analysis gave Washington the top draft-value rating with a –1.71 over-expectation score.
CBS Sports gave draft class an A-grade and named running back Kaytron Allen best-value pick.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, taken in round 7 at pick 223, earned a B overall from Mel Kiper.

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