What Detroit Lions Top Rookies Want to Improve in 2026

The top of the Detroit Lions 2025 NFL draft class had the opportunity to gain a significant amount of experience all throughout this season.

Tyleik Williams, Tate Ratledge and Isaac TeSlaa each gained valuable reps and are looking forward to their sophomore campaigns.

Each shared during locker room clean out what they wanted to improve next season.

"If I were to grade myself, I probably would give it, like, a C, C+," Williams exressed to local reporters. "I could’ve done a lot of things better, but I’m still a rookie. This is a different playing field than college, so just gotta adjust to that and get better this offseason."

The 2025 first-round pick acknowledged injuries and his play did impact his playing time as his rookie season progressed.

"I think I was playing pretty well in the beginning, and then some things happened, injuries happened, and I think I took a little dip," said Williams. "And then over the last few weeks I thought I was starting to play a little better."

Williams wants to make more plays and improve his overall pass-rush prowess.

"Get-off, keying the ball more and working my hand-eye coordination. Normal stuff, nothing crazy," Williams noted.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard talks to defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (91) | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Offensive lineman Tate Ratledge played at right guard his rookie campaign. He felt a sense of disappointment, due to his standards being quite high.

But the signs were there the team has a guard that be reliable and develop. The team could also still make the decision to play him at center in the future.

"Definitely better than where it started, but obviously, a lot of things to improve on," Ratledge said. "I don't think I played to this offensive line's standard and this team's standard. So, definitely a lot of things I can improve on. It's pretty disappointing because I hold myself to a high standard. It's a building block and something I have a baseline to build on."

When asked, Ratledge expressed he needed to key in on fundaments, including pad level, in order to be able to win more at the line of scrimmage.

"The one thing that needs to be fixed sooner rather than later is pad level," Ratledge noted. "I'm already a tall guard as it is, and improving pad level is one of my bigger things."

Wideout Isaac TeSlaa showed flashes of why the team invested so much draft capital to target him in the third-round of the draft.

"I'm very happy with how things went this season for me personally. Obviously, so many things I can work on. I just had my exit meeting with (Receivers coach) Scottie (Montgomery)," said TeSlaa. "He said the biggest thing is just quickness and separation, adding just a little bit more to my game will really help."

Next season, it is expected that TeSlaa will earn the opportunity to be the team's third wide receiver, behing Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

"I'm just excited to be part of that trio," TeSlaa said. "Obviously, take some time this offseason to relax a little bit, but then get to training and get ready to work on the things that will help us win next year."

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