The Washington Commanders know linebacker Sonny Styles can be something special, but head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones still want the seventh-overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft to shed some bad habits and “rookie-isms.”
It wasn’t Quinn nor Jones who coined the latter term. Instead, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic used the phrase “rookie-isms” to describe Styles’ progress during training camp.
Jhabvala offered her thoughts on Styles to ESPN insider John Keim. Speaking on “The John Keim Report,” she said, “there’s still some rookie-isms with him, you know, just where like, and he’s talked about this, Dante has talked about this, Quinn has talked about this, of, you know, just, I guess sometimes getting too much in your head and thinking too much. And I think with more reps, maybe he’ll start to play a little bit more freely and then he can start to really use the athleticism that he has and wreak havoc.”
The idea Styles is overthinking his introduction to the pros is becoming a theme. Quinn has already called on the former Ohio State standout to take a few more risks on the field.
Jones has expressed the same ambition for Styles, while Quinn’s since doubled down on his earlier comments.
Coaches Want Key Change from Sonny Styles
Styles’ physical talent has been inescapable at camp, but key Commanders coaches are staying on message about the 21-year-old needing a shift in mindset. Jones put it bluntly when asked by reporters if Styles should take more risks: “100 percent. You know, I thought, we’ve challenged him in that way. And you can see that times where he cuts it loose and you can really see that speed on tape. And that’s just what most guys who are, one, young, right, and they’re kinda still playing kinda tentatively a little bit. But then, letting that just let this go. I’d rather you go full speed and make a mistake than to be too slow and be right.”
Jones’ words leave little room for misinterpretation. The Commanders want Styles to strike a balance between respecting the structure of the defense, while also being daring enough to go off script to make a play.
Quinn wants to see this proactive approach, even if Styles gets a few things wrong along the way. The coach admitted “They’re gonna make some mistakes. That’s part of football. That’s part of being a young player. But I wanna see them cut it loose,” when asked about Styles and the rest of this year’s rookie class, per Commanders.com.
GettyQuinn is staying consistent with his messages about how Styles can get better.
The good thing for Quinn and Jones is their wait for Styles to trust his instincts more needn’t be a bad thing. Not when coaches and observers all agree about his obvious athletic upside and potential as a dynamic game-wrecker.
Styles will unleash his full potential once he’s adapted to the nuances of playing football at this level. He revealed which of those nuances is proving the most tricky to grasp this offseason.
Commanders’ Top Rookie Names ‘Biggest Adjustment’
Styles’s welcome to the NFL moment has occurred when he’s been playing in space against professionals. He explained why to Keim’s colleague Kevin Clark during an episode of This Is Football: “when you’re out there with the quarterbacks, you know, Jayden (Daniels), Marcus (Mariota), Sam (Hartman), all the guys, uh, their throws are on time. They’re super precise and the accuracy is like it’s really good. So, like if you’re getting to a drop, you think you’re there and they’re putting in the perfect spot where you can’t get it. Yeah, that’s definitely an adjustment.”
This is an honest and mature assessment from Styles about where he needs to improve. He has all the attributes to be an asset in coverage, particularly at a niche position within Jones’ pressure-heavy schemes, but Styles needs to do more than simply refine his technique.
The 6-foot-5, 243-pounder must also learn to avoid second-guessing himself in real time. Styles will be everything the Commanders believe he can be once he learns to read and react at full tilt, and trust his physical tools will mask any mistakes.
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