Success means drafting later in the first round and that’s where the Detroit Lions were again.

The defending NFC North winners had a long wait before scooping up Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams at No. 28 overall on the opening night of the 2025 NFL draft.

Williams, 6-foot-3 and 334 pounds, gives Detroit another big body at the interior of a defense that was gutted by injuries last season while being eliminated by Washington in the divisional round.

“I got an opportunity to train him and take him on the field in Tampa – he’s got elite movement for a guy that’s 330 pounds,” ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said of the pick. “The ability to change directions – you talk about him playing the run, he plays the run fiercely at Ohio State, his ability to flip his hips and get up field. He’s got the versatility to play the 3 technique position, he can play the 1 or the 3. I think if he slims down a little bit, he can be the quintessential 3 technique.”

Detroit needs pass rush help to pair with star Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a broken tibia and fibula in Week 6 last season. The Lions and general manager Brad Holmes shifted their focus on the interior by taking Williams, who had 28 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks over four seasons with the Buckeyes. Five EDGE players came off the board before the Lions made their first selection.

“They’re probably figuring this – we don’t like somebody on the outside on the edge, what’s the quickest way to get to the quarterback?” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said. “We’re just going to collapse that pocket inside-out.”