One Washington Commanders Rookie Who Could Win a Starting Job Out of Camp
Newsweek · C · trust 50/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. With teams on their month-long break from mid-June to mid-July in between minicamp and training camp, we’ve reached the deadest point of the NFL offseason.
But fortunately for football fans, there’s just three weeks left before training camp kicks off, followed by the preseason and regular season, which starts the week of Sept. 7.
Until then, we’ve done training camp previews and analyzed the top position battle to watch for all 32 teams. Next up in our offseason series is looking at one rookie from every team who could win a starting job in training camp this season, and today we’re looking at the Washington Commanders .
With star linebacker Bobby Wagner (162 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions) a free agent, the Commanders have a big need for another leader in the middle of their defense.
Sonny Styles saw his draft stock skyrocket in the weeks before the draft, which is ultimately how he landed in Washington as the seventh overall pick.
The 21-year-old logged 100 tackles, six sacks, and a forced fumble two seasons ago, and he totaled 83 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception last season. A converted safety, Styles can be an asset in coverage as well as patrolling the middle of the field.
He’s got great awareness and can read plays like a defensive back, he’s got great pursuit skills, he wraps up his tackles, and he has the athleticism to make plays on laterally quick ball-carriers.
Don’t be surprised if Styles plays like a defensive captain and is a 100-tackle player from Day 1.
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