For Sonny Styles, draft night wasn’t just about hearing his name called. It was about hearing his brother’s voice. When the Washington Commanders made him the seventh overall pick, it was all smiles and hugs. But then came the video message from Lorenzo Styles Jr., and suddenly the emotions spilled. 

“Congratulations, Sonny. I’m so proud of you, dog,” Lorenzo Styles Jr. told his brother after he became a top-10 pick. “You’ve been working for this since we were four years old. You were playing up. This is your moment, man. You earned this. You deserve it.”

This was backyard reps where it was older brother vs younger brother, long before Ohio State ever got involved. And when Lorenzo kept going, talking about leadership, sacrifice, what it meant to their parents, you could see Sonny Styles visibly fighting back tears. 

“And as a big brother, bro, watching you grow up and then even looking to you as a leader, dog, I have so much respect for how you came into Ohio State, how you changed positions, and the legacy you’re creating for our family,” he continued. “What it means to dad, what it means to mom, dog. Take that in. Enjoy this moment. You deserve every part of it, man. I love you.”

Growing up, Sonny Styles’ life always included Lorenzo, and he didn’t try to play it cool when discussing his brother’s impact: “That’s my best friend, my role model,” he said. “Chasing after him is a big reason why I’m here today, so I appreciate him. That’s my dog. Playing with my brother is a blessing.” 

Their paths diverged significantly at first; while Lorenzo was already starting as a wide receiver at Notre Dame, Sonny was still a year away from college eligibility in high school before making the pivotal decision to reclassify and join Ohio State early.

One year later, Lorenzo also transferred to Ohio State, changed his position, and took a redshirt. And that’s how two brothers on the same defense contributed to a national championship run and turned themselves into NFL prospects. But the paths couldn’t have been more different.

Sonny became a safety-turned-LB who grew into a 6’4″ dominant presence. By 2025, he was a co-captain, first-team All-American, and the guy leading Ohio State with 82 tackles. In contrast, Lorenzo had to grind from WR to CB to nickel, from limited snaps in 2023 to a rotational role and special teams contributor in 2024. People could overlook his 16 tackles and four pass breakups, but the traits were always there. 

The brothers’ mutual admiration stole headlines during workouts, as both seemed more excited about the other’s performance than their own.

“I was super excited when he ran that fast,” Sonny said of his 4.27-second 40-yard dash at nearly 200 pounds. “That was ridiculous.”

“Sonny’s was crazy, dog,” Lorenzo said of his 43.5-inch vertical. “Being able to jump that high, be that big, that athletic.”

So when the New Orleans Saints took Lorenzo Styles Jr. at No. 172 overall in the fifth round, it’s like the second chapter. And in a draft where Sonny went 165 picks earlier, that contrast only adds to the story.

Lorenzo and Sonny Styles made history their own way

Sonny Styles had an intuition hours before the draft that Washington was the spot, saying he “just had this feeling.” Turns out that he was right, as the Commanders, coming off a defense that ranked last in the league, chose him early. GM Adam Peters admitted they didn’t even expect the Buckeye elite to be there at No. 7. But in the end, it was an easy decision because, as the GM put it, “he checks every box.”

His tape backs it up, but it also shows up in the way Sonny credits his father, former NFL LB Lorenzo Styles Sr., for teaching him how to study film and “do the unrequired work.” And it explains why Washington already feels like home to him. It runs on “brotherhood” culture under Dan Quinn, with a locker room built on connection. 

Meanwhile, Lorenzo heads to New Orleans in a different role. He’s not set to be the immediate starter, but he’s been adapting his entire career. The draft gave us a first-round LB and a Day 3 DB. But if you look beyond that, you find two brothers from the same program with the same dream and draft. And they delivered an emotional reminder that sometimes, the best stories in football aren’t about how high you go. They’re about who you bring with you.