The Green Bay Packers need to bolster the interior of the defensive line. That’s on the to-do list for Brian Gutekunst this offseason and luckily for him, the 2025 NFL Draft is stocked with talented defensive tackles.
A defensive tackle Gutekunst could target early in the draft is Tyleik Williams. The Ohio State defensive tackle checks in at No. 17 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A four-star recruit, Williams recorded seven tackles for loss and five sacks during his first season on campus. In 2022, Williams recorded three tackles for loss and one sack. The next season, Williams recorded 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and five pass deflections. This past season, Williams recorded 46 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
“Williams was a fixture in the middle of the defensive line, playing a key part in Ohio State’s third-ranked rush defense,” Stefan Krajisnik, an Ohio State reporter for Cleveland.com, said. “Off the field, he was as respected as any player on the roster. Williams was part of a senior class that fueled the Buckeyes’ championship run. Like many of his classmates, he could have left for the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead, he returned to help lead one of the best seasons in program history.”
Williams is a roadblock against the run. At 334 pounds, he shuts down running lanes and is able to reset the line of scrimmage with his power. He controls his gap and is able to peel off blocks to get his hands on ball carriers. He’s powerful at the point of attack and has the strength to root in against double teams. He’s got heavy, powerful hands. The Buckeye defensive tackle plays with good pad level and is a high-energy player.
While he can two-gap with the best of them, Williams has a quick first step to quickly get on top of offensive linemen. He’s not just a space eater, he”s a gap penetrator. He’s a rangy big man with good lateral quickness and has a radar for the football.
With his strength, athleticism and awareness, Williams has all the tools to wreck rushing attacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams recorded 56 run stops the past two seasons.
“Williams has an incredible combination of size and athleticism,” Krajisnik said. “He’s explosive, making him a force at the line of scrimmage. Combined with experience, he has a strong knack for knowing which gap to plug.”
With his initial burst and power, Williams has the ability to collapse the pocket. Right now is pass rush plan is predicated on his first-step quickness and powerful frame. Over the past two seasons, Williams recorded 42 pressures and 5.5 sacks.
Fit with the Packers
Kenny Clark isn’t getting any younger and the former first-round pick is coming off the worst season of his illustrious career.
Devonte Wyatt’s time in Green Bay could end after next season if the Packers don’t pick up his fifth-year option. Even if the Packers pick up his fifth-year option, they may not re-sign him to a second contract.
Karl Brooks has shown he can be a valuable piece of the rotation. With the departure of TJ Slaton, the Packers need to add a body or two, or maybe even three to that room.
To sum it up, this team needs a talent infusion so they can more consistently cause chaos, both against the run and the pass.
Williams checks the boxes. He’s an active run defender who can eat up blocks to keep linebackers clean and he also has the strength and quickness to cause chaos on his own. While he may never post double-digit sacks in a season, Williams has all the tools needed to develop into a formidable interior pass rusher.
“His athleticism for a defensive tackle is extremely intriguing to me,” Krajisnik said. “Some mock drafts have had Williams going in the first round, though the consensus seems to be a second-round pick. If you can get a tackle with his traits after the first day of the draft, it would be a no-brainer to take him. He might be Ohio State’s most underrated NFL Draft prospect this year.”