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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 2h ago
Why Lions DT Tyleik Williams, 'a man of his word,' dropped 50 pounds
Allen Park — By his own admission, Tyleik Williams let his weight get out of hand this offseason.
Drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Williams made his pro debut around 330 pounds, and he was about 25 pounds heavier by the season finale in Chicago. Then he had some time off for the first time in a long time — Ohio State's run to a national championship truncated the break between his senior season and first year in the NFL — and he let himself get up to 375 pounds in March.
"I realized, like, what am I doing?" Williams said Friday. "This is supposed to be a big year for me."
Williams got to work on what he ate, cutting "a lot of carbs" (mostly breads) and not allowing himself to eat late into the evening. His workouts remained similar, though the results, given his adjusted diet, were improved. Williams showed up to Detroit a couple of weeks before OTAs began in May and had already lost nearly 20 pounds.
He reported to training camp this week at 325 pounds, the weight the Lions want him to play at.
"Really proud of him. He's a man of his word," Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Williams. "Before we drafted him, we sat up there, (general manager) Brad (Holmes) and I did say, ‘Is there going to be an issue with your weight ever?' (Williams said), 'No.' ... He came in two weeks before our program even started (earlier this year) and was pretty heavy and said, 'Hey, man, I want to get this right.'
"He put in the work. ... Came in 325, made his weight, crushed the conditioning test. Like I told him (and) told the team, now he's put some money in the bank of trust. ... Really fired up, man. That’s a credit to him."
The slighter frame Williams now possesses should help him be more impactful as a pass rusher, a side of his game the Lions have been high on because of his above average athleticism for the position. That optimism is despite Williams having only 11½ sacks in his career with the Buckeyes, including 6½ over his final 39 appearances.
Williams had one sack and 19 pressures as a rookie. His win rate as a pass rusher (8.9%) was tied for 47th among the 100 interior defenders who rushed the passer on at least 200 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. His win rate in true pass sets (excluding screens and other quick-to-throw plays) of 16.4% ranked 24th among that same group, an encouraging metric.
"Our eyes are open and we're willing to give him an opportunity if there's a little bit more that shows, maybe he's out there a little bit more on third down," Campbell said of Williams seeing more opportunity as a pass rusher. "Certainly, we're open to that. We like Tyleik. We absolutely know there's a role for him and there's something that he can do for us that we feel like really helps us.
"But can it be even more than that? Yeah, our eyes are open."
Ideally, Williams can develop on a similar path to the one taken by Alim McNeill, who wasn't known for getting after the quarterback at NC State but evolved his game after arriving in Detroit, posting 88 pressures across 27 games from 2023-24.
The collective size of Williams and McNeill (310 pounds), coupled with their athleticism, versatility and natural impact against the run, could allow for a number of wrinkles within Detroit's front seven: "We can both play nose, we can both play (the three-technique), that allows you to unlock a lot of things you can do with your defense, like fronts and blitzes and stuff," Williams said. "You don't know where it's coming from."
Williams put in the work to ensure his body would be ready for his second season. Next, it's about refining his game in an effort to live up to the expectations he embraces as Day 1 draft pick.
"Losing 50 pounds ain't easy," Williams said. "I did a lot this summer to make sure I was in a good position to help this team and do my part. I got drafted in the first round, I'm supposed to show up and be a starter and make plays. Being 365, that wasn't gonna cut it."
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