Sonny Styles struggled in preseason, but he only needed a single regular season game to earn the respect of one of the Washington Commander’ biggest rivals, who also happens to be one of the best players in the NFL.
Rookie inside linebacker Styles left an impression, both physically and emotionally, on Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Saquon Barkley in Week 1. Barkley was on the receiving end of a viral play involving Styles, when the Commanders’ youngster ran over him to sack Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That didn’t stop former 2,000-yard rusher Barkley from paying Styles some respect. Barkley admitted to reporters after Philly’s 24-22 win at Lincoln Financial Field, Styles is already “a good linebacker.”
It’s a to-the-point assessment of Styles’ talents the 21-year-old merited after beating Barkley with power and technique. The player who’s regularly tormented the Commanders, and ran all over them in the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago, conceded Styles “did a really good job of keeping his feet. I stopped my feet. He got underneath me, and the rule of football, the lower man wins. (I) got my [Expletive] ran over.”
Styles laid down a marker on this play. The player selected seventh-overall in the 2026 NFL draft announced he indeed belongs at this level after dealing with heavy criticism for his below-par performances this preseason.
Sonny Styles Already Earning Respect from NFL Greats
It wasn’t just Barkley who was wowed by the way Styles took to a competitive game. Washington great and four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker London Fletcher also saw something special in the ultra-focused rookie.
Styles’ focus translated to the field in multiple ways. The most obvious was through the physicality he showed when he sent Barkley crashing to the deck.
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Blitzing this effectively will make Styles crucial in the sophisticated pressure schemes of new Commanders’ defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. The play-caller dialled up the blitz on 50.9 percent of plays the second-highest mark in Week 1, per PFF.
Styles was active in pressure packages, blitzing five times to create a sack and a pressure, according to Pro Football Reference. The numbers prove Styles has achieved an early mastery of a complex system that’s based on moving parts and disguise.
Jones relied on that mastery by letting Styles take the green dot and “call plays on defense” after on-field signal-caller Frankie Luvu suffered a groin injury, per Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby.
Luvu should return soon, based on the positive update about his injury, but Styles has proved he can direct this defense if necessary. He already knows the key is stopping the run to create additional opportunities to blitz.
Styles and the Commanders put that plan into action effectively against nemesis Barkley.
Commanders Enjoyed Rare Stout Showing Against Saquon Barkley
The Commanders kept the clamps on Barkley for most of the day, barring one notable lapse. He broke free for a 42-yard gain, but the Commanders dropped Barkley “behind the line on 7 of his 15 carries,” per Next Gen Stats (h/t ESPN’s John Keim.)
Styles “recorded two tackles for a loss on Barkley, one of which led to an Eagles punt three plays later,” according to Selby.
These plays were made in a losing effort, but it’s impossible to overstate the importance of the Commanders’ improved showing against Barkley. The three-time Pro Bowler has been a nightmare for Washington his whole career, dating back to his early years with the New York Giants.
Barkley became such a problem after he stomped his way to 229 yards to help the Eagles win the conference title, the Commanders revamped their entire defensive front to stop him.
That particular overhaul didn’t work, but the early signs point to Styles and Jones finally giving the Commanders answers against the league’s best rushing attacks.
Commanders’ Rival Drops Blunt Verdict on Sonny Styles