Editor's note: We'll count down the top 10 Commanders players on the 2026 roster regardless of position sporadically over the next few weeks. Before we get to it, here's how we arrived at the ranking: Our Scott Bair, Scott Jennings and Mark Tyler compiled a top 13 – no ranking was identical — with points ***** igned to each ranking slot from all three lists. We used these point values to form a consensus top 10 ranking. We'll write a story on each member of the top 10 and another on others receiving votes at the end. Plus, Mark will probably have a Tyler's Take with his thoughts. You'll surely object to some of these rankings, though debate is kind of the point with lists like this. Today we focus on No. 6:
Sonny Styles has played linebacker for the past two seasons. That's it. The career safety made a position switch halfway through his Ohio State tenure, and it was a smart one.
Our top 10:Leo Chenal | Chig Okonwko | Nick Cross | Sam Cosmi
He had 100 tackles and six sacks right away, during the 2024 Buckeyes' national championship run. Styles followed that performance with 2025 first-team All-American honors. He was named a team captain and earned the prestigious Block 0.
And then the combine happened. Styles put on an absolute show, with out-of-this-world testing metrics for someone standing 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds.