The Detroit Lions addressed the defensive line in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, as general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell selected Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams with the No.28 overall pick.
Williams isn't fully developed as a pass-rusher yet, but the 22-year-old is one of the best run defenders in the class and didn't commit a single penalty during his senior season in 2024.
With Alim McNeill still recovering from a torn ACL and D.J. Reader having just one year left on his deal, Williams projects as a future starter for the Lions who could also play a valuable role on the defensive line in 2025. That said, here is how experts viewed the pick from Detroit.
Tyleik Williams draft grades
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: A
Iyer: "The Lions saw their best interior offensive line targets go between Booker, Zabel and Jackson so they flipped their focus to the middle of the defensive line. Williams is a quick, compact inside pass rusher with solid early-down work vs. the run to give Aidan Hutchinson much-needed extra support."
Prisco: "They needed depth and more help on their defensive line and Williams is a player who scouts kept raving about throughout the process. He can push the pocket from inside, which they need. I might have gone edge here, but I get it."
Rang: "The injuries to Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill made it fairly predictable that the Lions would be focusing on defensive line, especially given the talent of this year's class. At 6-foot-3, 331 pounds, Williams is physically similar to McNeill and plays with the fire that Dan Campbell requires."
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY: C+
Middlehurst-Schwartz: "Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes certainly have a type along the defensive line. Williams is a powerful presence who will command the line of scrimmage and stuff the run consistently. He might not fit the profile of a typical first-round defensive tackle given he looks unlikely to ever become a prolific pass rusher, but he can afford some flexibility to a group to a group that is waiting on Alim McNeill to come back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in December."
MORE 2025 NFL DRAFT