Tyleik Williams Emerging as a Key Piece in Lions’ Defensive Puzzle
When the Detroit Lions used the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to take Tyleik Williams, it caught more than a few people off guard. At the time, it felt like a reach - a talented but raw interior lineman joining a team with playoff aspirations. Fast forward to December, and that pick is aging like a fine wine.
Williams took a few weeks to get his footing, which is par for the course with rookie defensive tackles. But since around midseason, he’s started to show exactly why the Lions were so high on him. He’s not just holding his own in the trenches - he’s quietly becoming a force.
Since Week 7, Williams has earned a 74.5 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking him 12th among all NFL defensive tackles during that span. Even zooming out a bit, his grade since Week 5 sits at 72.2 - good for 20th at his position.
Those numbers might not jump off the page to the casual fan, but among evaluators, they speak volumes. They show a player who’s consistently winning his reps, disrupting blocking schemes, and doing the dirty work that doesn’t always show up in the box score.
And speaking of the box score - no, Williams isn’t filling it up with eye-popping stats. Just 15 tackles and three passes defended so far.
But that doesn’t tell the full story. What he is doing is eating up space, clogging lanes, and forcing offenses to account for him.
He’s anchoring the middle and making life easier for the guys around him. That’s the kind of impact that changes game plans - and earns respect in a hurry.
It’s a big development for Detroit, especially as they gear up for a playoff push. The Lions’ defense has had its ups and downs this season, and if they’re going to make noise in January, it’s going to start up front. That’s where Williams comes in - not as a headline-grabber, but as a foundational piece who’s growing into his role at the perfect time.
Next Test: Slowing Down the Rams’ Ground Game
This week, that defensive front will face one of its toughest challenges yet. The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a 45-17 thrashing that featured 249 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. That kind of balance - pounding the rock and then hitting you over the top - is what makes the Rams so dangerous right now.
Detroit’s mission is clear: contain the Rams’ running back tandem of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. That duo brings a mix of power, burst, and vision that can wear down a defense over four quarters. Head coach Dan Campbell knows exactly what his group is up against.
“(Blake) Corum, he's a good back and they've got a little bit of a one-two punch over there,” Campbell said. “Both of those guys are really good… they’re quick, they’re explosive, they’re twitchy, they’re versatile. It gives them another element there.”
That “element” has been a major reason for the Rams’ recent offensive surge, and if the Lions want to stay in the playoff picture, they’ll need to meet that challenge head-on. That means Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Roy Lopez - and yes, Tyleik Williams - will all need to be at their best.
For Williams, this is another opportunity to prove he belongs, not just as a contributor, but as a core piece of this defense moving forward. He’s already shown he can handle the physicality of the NFL trenches. Now, he’ll get a chance to show he can do it in a high-stakes matchup with postseason implications.
He may not have been a household name on draft night, but Williams is making his presence felt where it matters most - on the field, in the middle of the action, and right in the heart of the Lions’ playoff push.