Sonny Styles and Antonio Williams already look like Commanders’ draft breakthrough

The Washington Commanders fell on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles, despite a valiant late rally. But for the rookie duo of linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Antonio Williams, they already look like the team's big draft breakthrough.

It wasn't enough to secure success, but it bodes extremely well for the future.

Williams hauled in a touchdown at the goal line to cap off a four-catch, 64-yard performance in his NFL regular-season debut. It was somewhat controversial due to the ball touching the ground, but he'd already gained control, so the call stood.

Sonny Styles and Antonio Williams both shone in Commanders' Week 1 loss

Additionally, Styles earned his first career sack on a play in which he absolutely wrecked the Eagles' backfield, taking out both running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.

All in all, Commanders fans couldn't have asked for a better debut from both players.

Reviews thus far haven't been kind to general manager Adam Peters' 2024 and 2025 NFL Draft classes, except for quarterback Jayden Daniels, who must restore his stock this season.

The Commanders sorely lack young, long-term building blocks. However, they seem to have hit on a couple of gems in Styles and Williams.

For Styles, after every engagement-bait social media account declared him a bust based on less than 20 preseason snaps, the No. 7 overall pick showed fans exactly what he can bring to the table for Washington.

Styles had a second tackle-for-loss in the second half as well, as he made his presence felt from the get-go. His supreme strength and athleticism were well on display during his takedowns of Barkley and Hurts, and the Ohio State product is only going to get better as the NFL game slows down for him.

Williams also gets a resounding seal of approval for his Week 1 exploits, immediately establishing himself as a Commanders' receiving threat that might have its scariest three-headed monster since Pierre Garçon, DeSean Jackson, and Jamison Crowder were all viable weapons during the 2016 season.

The third-rounder led the team in receiving yards and brought in all four of his targets. Williams looked comfortable and proved he can deliver in key situations. As all young wideouts know, that's the best way to build trust.

Given the struggles of recent draft picks like Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane to get involved in the offense, this is a massive development for Williams. With wide receivers, you can often tell early on if they have it or they don't. The Clemson product has it.

The Commanders' season can still go in any one of a number of ways. But Washington's long-term future is about building something sustainable through the draft, which the team has struggled with for the past several years, dating back to Ron Rivera's tenure.

It's still very early days, but Styles and Williams look like they could emerge as long-term pieces of the puzzle. That's precisely what the Commanders need for genuine growth.

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