Commanders land star linebacker in NFL scout's mock draft

With less than one week until the 2026 NFL Draft, mock drafts are dropping in droves. Most mock drafts are traditional, but others take a different angle. This week, ESPN's Matt Miller tasked 10 scouts with making the first 10 picks in the draft, but there are rules. Scouts are anonymous, assigned to a team they do not work for, and in most cases, the team they picked for was from a different conference altogether. There are also no trades.

Miller asked the scouts to make their picks based on their respective team's roster needs and their own personal evaluations of this year's draft class. For the Washington Commanders, one of the AFC East area scouts chose a defensive player.

AFC East area scout's pick: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio StateAnother pick, another scout preferring to trade out. That was the desire of the second AFC East area scout we enlisted for this exercise when given the Commanders.Get ready for the 2026 NFL draft"The Commanders don't have one glaring need, and in a draft light on blue-chip talent, it's tempting to trade back and get more capital instead of debating between a non-premium position or maybe drafting a third cornerback. But I have an idea," he sent back after some pushback on the no-trade rules."Dan Quinn knows the value of a linebacker with range and playmaking ability -- it's why he signed Bobby Wagner. Styles has that athletic ability, but he's 6-foot-5, eliminates passing windows, and he's a capable blitzer, too."Styles was everywhere in his three seasons as a starter, notching 235 tackles with nine sacks, nine passes defensed and an interception. He was the Buckeyes' team captain last season and earned first-team All-America honors while leading OSU in tackles with 82. Styles' upside is remarkable, with comparisons to Fred Warner often made when discussing him with NFL teams.

It is entirely possible that the Commanders trade down from number seven simply to gain draft capital, even though GM Adam Peters said otherwise. Trading down comes with this risk. There are a lack of players with first-round grades in this class. By sticking at No. 7, Washington could land a game-changing talent.

If the Commanders remain at No. 7, and he's available, Sonny Styles is a great pick for all the reasons the scout listed. He is literally everywhere on the field, and there was a reason he was chosen to wear the Block O this season at Ohio State. He has the size and skill that translate well into the NFL, and whichever team drafts him won't be sorry. Styles was born to play in the NFL, literally, he's a rare athlete who lives and breathes football, and will bring the type of character and leadership that Peters and head coach Dan Quinn crave.

Styles would also give Washington its version of Jayden Daniels on the defensive side of the ball.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Commanders land star linebacker in NFL scout's mock