Tyleik

Williams

Slowed by a foot injury, Bartch, one of the Lions’ better backup offensive linemen, will be unavailable today. Fortunately, the Lions’ offensive line health is improving and stud C Cade Mays (wrist) could return in a week or two. The Lions will also be without Ya-Sin, one of two starting perimeter cornerbacks and S Brian Branch (Achilles) is not yet ready to resume playing. This should be a high-scoring game environment, though DL Tyleik Williams (foot) is active.l

Mays and S Brian Branch (Achilles) are not yet ready to return from their injuries. Starting CB Rock Ya-Sin (hamstring) has been ruled out as well, and DL Tyleik Williams (foot) is questionable to play.

Per NBC Houston’s Aaron Wilson, the deal is worth $16.458 million and comes with an $8.609 million signing bonus. Williams was an effective player at Ohio State, racking up 71 tackles, 20 TFLs and 13 sacks over four seasons. He joins a Lions defensive line rotation that was hit hard by injuries last season. Williams will be asked to meaningfully contribute in year one.

Williams (6’3/334) has been a fixture on the interior of OSU’s defensive line since arriving on campus in 2021, earning All-Big Ten recognition in each of his collegiate campaigns. The super-sized three tech broke out in 2023 starting 12 games and recording 33 stops, which led all Power Four interior linemen and solidified his reputation for being a top-flight trench warrior. An indispensable cog in Ohio State’s National Championship winning defense, Williams Recorded his third season with a PFF overall grade of 80.0 while finishing fourth in the Power Four with an 89th percentile run grade. He wasn’t quite as effective rushing the passer, generating a respectable 20 pressures but earning a middling 59.8 pass rush grade last year. While he’s powerfully built with dynamic get off, Williams is fairly one-dimensional on passing downs and lacks a developed set of counters. However, against the run he’s a two-gapping menace who can win with speed or brute force. WIlliams is pegged for immediate early down work with situational duty on passing downs.

Williams (6'3/315) had a successful 2021 season with the Buckeyes, posting the highest pass rush win rate among Big Ten defensive tackles since 2017 (22.1% last season). Though he doesn’t exactly pop on the stats sheet to this point, that’s something that could chance. Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus recently listed Williams as one of his top defensive lineman breakout candidates, so it’s safe to say eyes will be on Williams later this year.

Williams (6'3/315) has quickly become an impressive defensive player for the Buckeyes, even though the stat line doesn’t reflect everything the film shows early on. He finished out last season with 16 tackles (10 solo), five sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams has posted the highest pass rush win rate among Big Ten defensive tackles since 2017 (22.1% in 2021), putting him ahead of Haskell Garrett (17.3% in 2020) and Dre’Mont Jones (16.6% in 2017).

Williams (6'3/330) also had Virginia Tech and North Carolina on his radar, but those two ACC outfits just couldn’t quite do enough to outfox OSU HC Ryan Day and staff. The Manassas, Virginia, native had hoped to be able to visit Columbus back in the spring, but those plans were scuttled by the coronavirus like so many other plans laid to waste this offseason. Quick and fluid, Williams already comes equipped with palatable size for early collegiate work (though given Ohio State’s perpetual depth, early work won’t be guaranteed). On the 247Sports composite board, he hits the party as the No. 160 overall prospect in the 2021 class.