Lions Tyleik Williams Moves Like Aaron Donald, Is Growing Pass Rusher

Ohio State defensive line coach has high praise for new Lions draft pick.

Detroit Lions first round draft selection Tyleik Williams. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams drew a comparison to one of the best defensive tackles in NFL history.

Williams has been praised by pundits for his ability to defend the run, and he has flashed some uncanny athleticism for a player who weighed in at 334 pounds.

However, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson took the praise a step further by comparing Williams' athleticism and movement ability to former Los Angeles Rams and future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

"I think he's a couple guys. I'm a big fan of Aaron Donald, the ability to move his body so quickly. Aaron's probably not as heavy as Tyleik but just the movement, skill set, being able to move and change direction, I think Tyleik does it really well," Johnson said. "First of all, I think it's a great pick. Second, I think it's a great place to play defense, in Detroit, to be able to play inside with another great player. I think that's really, really important for him, to see what greatness looks like and give him a chance to chase it."

Comparing the rookie to an eventual Hall of Fame defensive tackle is intriguing. Johnson noted that they aren't exact replicas of each other, but that Donald's best traits are emulated by Williams in the way he moves around the field.

Johnson has coached numerous future pros in his career, both at Ohio State and Penn State. Among them are Chase Young, Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa and Dre'Mont Jones.

Whether it's footwork, finesse moves or power, Williams seems to have the traits to be able to make a big impact for the Lions' defense in short order.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's Aaron Donald. But his movement skills, ability to change directions. Aaron Donald is really good at what we call, 'Jab, olé, inside, outside.' And then he goes power. I think Tyleik has the same kind of movement, he can go power, he can go finesse up the field. But Aaron Donald is in a league by himself, I don't want to put that pressure on Tyleik, going into the league as Aaron Donald. But there are some things that Aaron Donald does real easy, and Tyleik has that same kind of movement skills."

Another player who Williams has been compared to throughout the process is current Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill. While Johnson invoked images of Donald with his descriptions, he also noted that Williams' blend of size and agility is extremely uncommon and makes him difficulty to firmly compare to anyone else.

In Johnson's time coaching at the college level, he admitted that he has not encountered many players who are similar to Williams from an athletic perspective. He noted one former Buckeye, Jones, as a potential comparison but said Williams sets himself apart with his positional versatility.

"I think there's a lot of comparison to a lot of guys, but Tyleik is Tyleik," Johnson explained. "To be honest, he's gonna be his own player, his own skill set. He's gonna do it different, he may look like somebody in the NFL, but he doesn't look like anybody I've coached in college football. He's different. He's got a different set."

A knock on Williams has been his lack of production and consistency as a pass-rusher. His athletic ability has allowed him to be impactful in this area at times, but it has been difficult for him to be overall consistent.

As a result, some development is expected from him in that area. With his passion for film study and knowledge of the game, he's a coachable player who should be able to pick up on the teachings of defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers.

Johnson praised Williams' ability as a pass-rusher and indicated that the best is still yet to come from the defender in that area.

"I think he's got great pass-rush skills. And when you see him in minicamp, you'll see his hip movement and you'll shake your head because you're gonna say, 'That guy's not supposed to move like that.' It just goes back to the Combine. Just look at his bag drills, how quick he moved. That's Tyleik, he has that naturally."