Washington Commanders‘ seventh overall pick Sonny Styles has received mixed reviews since joining the team. The former Ohio State linebacker initially received rave reviews coming out of Training Camp, as his athleticism separated him from the pack. However, his lackluster preseason performances slowed the hype train and even led some viewers to hop off the track altogether.
Styles has been criticized for looking lost, out of place, and at times overwhelmed during his brief preseason action.
Poor coverage instincts, couldn’t shed blockers, didn’t seem like he wanted to tackle.
Executives are talking.
Styles opened up to reporters ahead of the Commanders’ season kickoff about his reaction to the negativity.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s expected”, Styles stated.
“You know you’re a first-round pick, and there’s bad plays out there, things people don’t like; they’re going to have stuff to say. [It’s the] same thing in college…I remember my junior year, I switched to linebacker. I had a few bad plays in the first few games; people told me I was terrible. I’m used to it. I think you just keep getting better, and eventually things start going the way you want them.”
Commanders LB Sonny Styles Preaches Patience For Season Opener
Styles’ comments were relatively candid and mature for a 21-year-old kid. Styles will be playing on a massive stage as Washington heads to Philadelphia for their Week 1 bout.
When asked if playing at a big-time school like Ohio State helped prepare him for the NFL level, Styles responded with, “Definitely! I think when I came in, I was a five-star recruit, so it’s kind of similar.”
Styles then shifted the conversation back towards the criticism he’s faced.
“Obviously, first-round pick. You know, it’s more money involved, all this different stuff, but it’s still high expectations. So it’s like as soon as anyone sees something go bad, they’re going to have something to say. You know that’s expected. It’s what comes with it. I know there will always be high expectations, and I have high expectations for myself. So the focus is just to keep getting better each and every week.”
Clearly, his upcoming performance is on his mind.
Patience is advised, especially for a rookie Mike linebacker. Styles will be operating as the centerpiece of new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ scheme. Jones is expected to run a similar concept to his previous defensive coordinator, Brian Flores. Flores had his defense revolve around the middle linebacker’s ability to cover and tackle. Flores’ and thus Jones’ scheme will rely on heavy blitz packages that pull defenders out of coverage. That forces the Mike to cover extra ground. While patience is advised, the sooner Styles can get his feet under him, the better the outcome will be for the entire defense.
Commanders New Defense vs Eagles New Offense
Managing Philadelphia’s offense will not be an easy task for week one. While they won’t have to deal with wide receiver A.J. Brown anymore, the Eagles still have plenty of weapons on offense.
The Eagles’ offense is also expected to be a lot smoother with new coordinator Sean Mannion taking control of the offense. So as the Commanders watch the debut of their new defense, Philly will be observing the same on offense.
Ultimately, it could come down to which team is more up to speed within the minor details of their new schemes.
Commander’s Rookie Responds To Criticism Ahead Of Debut Game