Tyleik Williams
{{Short description|American football player (born 2003)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tyleik Williams
| image = 2025-0118 Tyleik Williams.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Williams with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2025
| number = 91
| position = Defensive tackle
| current_team = Detroit Lions
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|2|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Manassas, Virginia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 334
| high_school = Unity Reed (Manassas)
| college = Ohio State (2021–2024)
| draftyear = 2025
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 28
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- CFP national champion (2024)
- Second-team All-American (2023)
- Freshman All-American (2021)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2023)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2024)
| statseason = 2025
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Tackles
| statvalue1 =
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 =
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 =
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 =
| pfr = NoleWa00
}}
Tyleik Williams (born February 25, 2003) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning a national championship in 2024. Williams was selected by the Lions in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
Williams was born on February 24, 2003, in Manassas, Virginia, later attending Unity Reed High School. He was selected to play in the 2021 All-American Bowl.{{cite web | last=Ramos | first=Gus | title=Future Buckeye Tyleik Williams Selects All-American Bowl | website=NBC Sports | date=2020-09-20 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/news/future-buckeye-tyleik-williams-selects-all-american-bowl | access-date=2025-07-10}} He committed to Ohio State University to play college football.{{cite web | last=Means | first=Stephen | title=Tyleik Williams, 4-star 2021 DT, commits to Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting | website=The Plain Dealer| date=2020-08-27 | url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2020/08/tyleik-williams-4-star-2021-dt-commits-to-ohio-state-football-buckeyes-recruiting.html | access-date=2025-07-10}}{{cite web | last=Landis | first=Bill | title=Tyleik Williams commits to Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes | website=The New York Times | date=2020-08-27 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2025596/2020/08/27/tyleik-williams-commits-to-ohio-state-what-it-means-for-the-buckeyes/ | access-date=2025-07-10}}
College career
Williams played in 12 games as a true freshman at Ohio State in 2021, recording 16 tackles and five sacks.{{cite web | last=Rabinowitz | first=Bill | title=Tyleik Williams, Ohio State football star, sheds 40 pounds | website=The Columbus Dispatch | date=2022-03-24 | url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2022/03/24/ohio-state-football-star-dt-tyleik-williams-sheds-40-pounds/7149776001/ | access-date=2025-07-10}}{{cite web | last=Means | first=Stephen | title=Mike Hall, Tyleik Williams could give Ohio State football’s defensive line something ‘No one’s ever seen before’ | website=The Plain Dealer| date=2022-03-25 | url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2022/03/michael-hall-jr-tyleik-williams-could-give-ohio-state-footballs-defensive-line-something-no-ones-ever-seen-before.html | access-date=2025-07-10}}{{cite web | last=Baird | first=Nathan | title=Tyleik Williams and Ohio State football’s other small sample size stars seeking 2022 breakthroughs | website=The Plain Dealer| date=2022-07-14 | url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2022/07/tyleik-williams-and-ohio-state-footballs-other-small-sample-size-stars-seeking-2022-breakthroughs.html | access-date=2025-07-10}} As a sophomore, he had 21 tackles and one sack. In his senior year, Williams won the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship,{{Cite news |last=Pouncy |first=Colton |date=25 April 2025 |title=Tyleik Williams is nimble, instinctive and a prototypical Lions NFL Draft pick |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6308222/2025/04/25/lions-tyleik-williams-nfl-draft/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |work=The New York Times}} as Ohio State defeated Notre Dame by a score of 34 to 23.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 7/8
| weight = 334
| ten split = 1.74
| twenty split = 2.75
| arm span = 32
| hand span = 10 1/4
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |last=Reuter |first=Chad |last2=Zierlein |first2=Lance |title=Tyleik Williams Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/tyleik-williams/32005749-4c54-7635-e493-fa5bfedf094c |access-date=February 28, 2025 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1053105&DraftYear=2025 |title=Tyleik Williams College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=February 28, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Brown | first=Chase | title=Buckeye Pro Day Central: Results, Videos, Sights and Sounds From Ohio State’s 2025 Pro Day | website=Eleven Warriors | date=2025-03-27 | url=https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2025/03/155479/buckeye-pro-day-central-results-videos-sights-and-sounds-from-ohio-state-s-2025-pro-day | access-date=2025-07-10}}
}}
On April 24, 2025, Williams was selected in the first round as the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.{{cite web | last=Twentyman | first=Tim | title=Lions draft defensive lineman Tyleik Williams | website=Detroit Lions| date=2025-04-25 | url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/2025-nfl-draft-detroit-lions-defensive-lineman-tyleik-williams | access-date=2025-04-25}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|tyleikk}}
- [https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/tyleik-williams/ Detroit Lions bio]
- [https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/football/roster/tyleik-williams/11056 Ohio State Buckeyes profile]
{{Detroit Lions roster navbox}}
{{2024 Ohio State Buckeyes football navbox}}
{{2025 NFL draft}}
{{LionsFirstPick}}
{{Detroit Lions 2025 NFL draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Tyleik}}
Category:Players of American football from Virginia
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players
Category:Sportspeople from Manassas, Virginia
Category:Detroit Lions players
{{defensive-lineman-stub}}