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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 04: Tyleik Williams #91 of the Detroit Lions tackles Kyle Monangai #25 of the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at Soldier Field on January 04, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions invested a first-round pick in defensive tackle Tyleik Williams last year, but the big defensive tackle fell short of expectations in a season marked by inconsistent play.
Williams is now facing a warning as he approaches is second NFL season, with one NFL analyst noting that he is under pressure to take on an even bigger role for Detroit’s defense.
Lions Need Young Tackle to Step Up
Reporter Vito Chirco of SI.com identified three Lions 2025 draft picks under pressure to improve for the coming season, putting Williams at the top of the list.
“He started Detroit’s first six games of the year alongside DJ Reader before becoming a rotational interior lineman upon Alim McNeill’s return from injury (a torn ACL),” Chirco wrote. “Williams certainly experienced his fair share of struggles as a first-year pro, earning a Pro Football Focus overall grade of just 62.6 for his efforts.”
Chirco noted that the Lions underwent some changes to their defensive line, which could leave Williams in line for an even bigger role for the coming season.
“With Reader having departed for the N.Y. Giants this offseason, the onus will be on Williams to take a major step forward in his second NFL season,” Chirco wrote. “If he fails to do so, the Lions will likely struggle to get consistent production out of the interior of their defensive line, even with a fully healthy McNeil.”
Lions Add Help to Defensive Line
The Lions added some depth to their defensive line in the NFL draft, taking Skyler Gill-Howard in the sixth round and Tyre West in the seventh.
The Lions also brought in undrafted free agent Aidan Keanaaina from Cal, who earned some praise from reporter Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website.
“The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder finished his college career at Cal after four years at Notre Dame. Over the last two seasons at Cal, Keanaaina racked up 101 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 26 games,” Twentyman wrote. “He was a very solid run defender throughout his six-year college career.”
The Lions also boosted their edge-rushing group, taking former Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore in the second round. SI.com’s Matt Verderame predicted that Moore could become a strong and long-term complement to star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, giving the Lions the edge-rushing counterpart they have been lacking.
“The Lions have desperately needed some young talent to pair with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, and Detroit is hoping it has found the answer,” Verderame wrote. “Like Hutchinson, Moore is a former Wolverine who can turn the corner and give defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard an answer if Hutchinson is double-teamed.”
The Lions added another edge rusher in undrafted free agent Anthony Lucas from USC, who The Athletic considered a top potential UDFA.
“Lucas has NFL-quality size, with the power profile and quickness to be a firm NFL edge setter and work-in-progress pass rusher,” wrote The Athletic’s staff. “As long as his ‘care’ factor stays high, he has enough physical traits to find work on an NFL defensive line.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty