Lions draft Tyleik Williams in 1st round

The Detroit Lions selected Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 28th overall.

Williams recorded 11.5 sacks over his collegiate career, with 2.5 coming in 2024 and a personal-best five in 2021.

He slides into a Lions defensive line that also has Alim McNeil and DJ Reader, among others.

Pre-draft profile

Williams should make his money as a run-stuffing nose tackle at the NFL level. He's got the size, strength, and anchor ability to hold up in the middle and handle double teams. He can be more than a block-eater, though. Williams also has better lateral movement skills than you might expect for a player of his size, and he's shown an ability to stack, shed, and make a play on the ball himself. A lack of true pass-rush traits could limit his role at the next level, even if he did spend a lot of time at the three-technique in Ohio State's defense. But he's not the kind of one-trick pony nose tackle who needs to come off the field on late downs. A powerful skill set also allows him to push the pocket every now and then. Williams is a potential Day 1 starter who should provide an immediate upgrade against the run.