Sonny Styles is already following in Jayden Daniels’ footsteps and it can lead to an elite rookie year the Commanders want to see
There are very high expectations for Sonny Styles and rightfully so. The Commanders’ rookie linebacker is already proving he has what it takes to be a great player in the NFL.
The hype around Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles is both real and warranted.
His athleticism and traits have been thoroughly discussed over the last few months to the point where everyone who follows the Commanders should be well aware of what he can do. Now, it’s all about making it come together on the football field.
So far, that’s exactly what’s happening, but Styles is also showing off his elite work ethic, which should sound familiar to Commanders fans.
“I think the two of them, and a lot of great players, (it’s about) how much they love football,” Dan Quinn told reporters when asked about similarities between Styles and Bobby Wagner. “And it goes into this dedication to find an edge, to stay early, to go late, like knowing there’s sacrifices that other people won’t make in the dark hours, and ‘Wags’ lived that.
“Sonny has those same traits of how much he loves it and [he] wants to put in the time and the effort to do that. So, that’s one trait that I see a commonality between those two and all great players who like, man, they love it, and they are going to do whatever it takes to get themselves ready to go.”
Sonny Styles’ work ethic can lead to an elite rookie year like Jayden Daniels had
Daniels is famous for his relentless work ethic and we saw how that fueled one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history.
Now, Styles is following in those same footsteps and that’s exactly what you want to hear. How many times have we seen talented players of Styles’ caliber fall flat on their face in the NFL due to lacking the overall effort it takes off the field to have success?
The best part is, like Daniels, Styles should become the focal point of the defense and he will likely end up wearing the green dot at some point, if not as soon as 2025.
“He’s meeting every morning with [linebackers coach] Ken Norton and [assistant linebackers coach] George Banko and the way he’s looking at the game is good for us,” Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones told reporters. “We just want to continue to build on his development as a player and as a linebacker.”
That means players will be watching every move he makes and if he’s putting everything he has into not just practice and games, but film study, diet, training, etc. well, it’ll create a domino effect where others follow suit.
I mean, we all know the story of how former LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly had to keep the football facility open at all times because Daniels was always there. Eventually, his teammates began preparing the same way.
There’s no reason to think Daniels’ NFL teammates won’t do the same.
This is exactly what you want to hear regarding a top-10 pick at this time of the year. And based on what we saw from Jayden Daniels in 2024, Sonny Styles is doing all the right things to have the same kind of success in his respective rookie year.