Commanders' rookie Sonny Styles reveals Sean Taylor's influence
· Yahoo Sports
Washington Commanders rookie linebacker Sonny Styles has already garnered more attention than anyone anticipated. Through OTAs and minicamps, Styles wore the green dot on more than one occasion, and we're likely to see more of that as the season wears on. The young linebacker has a presence you can't ignore, a larger-than-life personality that ropes you in the second he smiles, and he wears an aura of competitiveness that can't be ignored.
Styles was recently asked about players he watched growing up and how they influenced his on-field play.
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"When I was younger, I used to love watching YouTube videos of Sean Taylor," Styles said, via CBS Sports. "I don't know why, I just had this obsession of the YouTube videos, the 30 for 30, and just watching how violent he was playing the game."
He said that Taylor's tenacity on the field inspired an entire generation of football players.
"I'd search through all the 30 for 30s that were on ESPN for that day, always trying to find the Sean Taylor one," he said. "That was someone I really liked to watch. Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis were two guys I love to watch as well. Growing up, they always just seemed so cool to me, just the way they played the game, which was violent, obviously. They just seemed like bad dudes when they're out there."
Taylor, a former first-round draft pick in 2004, was a legend in Washington whose life was cut short during a home invasion in 2007. After helping the Miami Hurricanes win a BCS National Championship in 2004, Taylor started 15 games and recorded 76 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, and four interceptions as a rookie. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team.
After his death in 2007, Taylor was named to his second Pro-Bowl posthumously. He has since been enshrined in the Commanders' Ring of Honor, and his No. 21 was retired in 2021.
Styles not only knows how to tug on the heartstrings of his current fanbase, but he also knows which players paved the way for him to get where he is today. The ones he modeled his game after to get to the level he is, guys who play angry, mean, and violent. His opportunity to show us he can live up to those players is rapidly approaching, and that's when we'll know just how real Styles is.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles watched legendary Sean Taylor