2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Tyleik Williams, iDL, Ohio State

Could Williams complete the Giants’ defensive line?

The New York Giants have long had a “type” when it comes to the defensive tackle position.

They like tackles who are big, but that isn’t the end of it for them. The Giants have also routinely targeted tackles with elite movement skills — not just for their size, but who are rare athletes for the position.

Tyleik Williams from Ohio State didn’t work out at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, but his tape suggests the type of movement skills the Giants have long coveted. And the fact that they come in a 6-foot-3, 334-pound package should certainly make him attractive. Of course, the Giants aren’t the only team to covet massive and athletic men for the middle of their defense.

Perhaps the bigger question than “would he fit the Giants?” is “would the Giants have a chance to draft Williams?”

Prospect: Tyleik Williams (91)
Games Watched: vs. Iowa (2024), vs. Oregon (2024), vs. Penn State (2024), vs. Indiana (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Play strength
• Hand usage
• Competitive toughness
• Initial quickness and agility

Tyleik Williams is a big, powerful, skilled, and surprisingly explosive defensive tackle.

Williams is a massive lineman at 6-foot-3, 334 pounds, and plays with all the power his frame would suggest. He’s able to collapse pockets, rag-doll individual offensive linemen, and control double teams. Williams plays with great leverage and hand usage, which maximizes his already great play strength. He consistently defeats blockers’ hands to prevent them from latching on to slow him around the line of scrimmage. His hand usage also allows him to play “longer” than his measured arm length.

He also has surprisingly good short-area athleticism for a player his size. Williams has great initial quickness and surprising agility. He has a very good burst and is one of the first players moving when he keys the ball well, and his combination of burst, power, and technique can overwhelm blockers.

While he doesn’t have great pass rush production, he’s consistently disruptive and precludes quarterbacks from stepping up into the pocket.

Williams is a great run defender who tracks the ball well in the backfield. He’s seldom fooled by misdirection and understands how to use his power and positioning to leverage the ball back to his teammates. Williams also offers fantastic hustle and effort in pursuit.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Long speed
• Conditioning

Williams is a big, powerful defensive tackle, however his size does work against him in some ways.

He has great initial quickness off the ball, but his play speed slows after his second step or so. Williams is able to make an immediate impact along the line of scrimmage, but lacks the long speed to close on ball carriers and finish his rushes. He won’t run down many ball carriers if they’re able to escape contain.

There are also concerns regarding his conditioning and endurance.

Williams’ play speed slowed significantly late in games or at the tail end of prolonged drives. In those instances, he was more easily handled by individual blockers or was slow to get off blocks and labored in pursuit.

Game Tape

(Williams is the Ohio State defensive tackle wearing number 91 and bands on both forearms)

Projection

Tyleik Williams projects as a starting defensive tackle with scheme diversity at the NFL level.

Williams’ size and power allows him to play nose tackle and he can hold blocks in a 2-gap scheme, while his burst and technique allow him to be disruptive in 1-gap schemes. Ohio State played him across their defensive front and he was effective as both an A and B-gap defender.

That said, he will likely need to land in a situation with an active defensive line rotation. Teams may even ask Williams to recomp and (try to) exchange body fat for lean tissue over the first couple years of his career. If Williams can maintain his play strength and anchor, playing at a relatively svelte 320 pounds with a better body composition could improve his speed and endurance.

Fixing those weaknesses could make him a game-wrecker at the next level.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes

Final Word: A fringe first round talent who could slip due to depth at the position.