Purple Draft Profile: Ohio State DI Tyleik Williams
Last week, I wrote an article about a recent PFF publishment that detailed the perfect 2025 NFL Draft prospect for each team. For the Vikings, they called the name of Ohio State’s standout defensive lineman Tyleik Williams. While PFF listed some of his traits, these Purple Draft Profiles are meant to go more in-depth so Vikings Nation can be more than familiar with whomever Kwesi Adofo-Mensah rings the phone of on draft night.
Ohio State DI Tyleik Williams
And so, we start with Tyleik. The 6’3, 300lb mammoth of a man hails from Manassas, Virginia, where he played high school football for Unity Reed High School in his native Manassas. He was labeled as a four-star recruit and was the fourth-ranked high school senior baller in the state of Virginia, which could have possibly been even better if he hadn’t missed his entire senior year of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Williams would commit to Ohio State, where he immediately made his presence felt. He racked up five sacks and 6.5 TFLs in his freshman year, garnering Freshman All-American honors.
Over the rest of the 38 games he appeared in throughout his tenure at Ohio State, he would total 136 tackles, 28 TFLs, and 11.5 sacks. 2023 may have been the standout year of his collegiate career statistically, where he had a career-high in combined tackles (53) and TFLs (10). He also amassed five pass deflections and returned a fumble for a big-man touchdown. Of course, he did win the 2024 National Championship with the Buckeyes, as well.
NFLDraftBuzz wrote about the defender:
Williams’ blend of size, strength, and athleticism, combined with his consistent performance, has made him a key player on Ohio State’s defensive line. His contributions have been recognized with honorable mention all-Big Ten honors for two consecutive seasons. Williams’ decision to return for another year at Ohio State instead of entering the 2024 NFL Draft showcases his commitment to further honing his skills and achieving team goals.
Williams’ Traits
Tyleik Williams possesses a quick first step, giving him an advantage going against opposing blockers with his large frame gaining positive momentum. That quickness is coupled with a powerful upper body, which also grants him the ability to control offensive linemen at the point of contact that Williams is often the first to make.
His hands are constantly moving, creating optimal situations for him to disengage from blocks. Not only is he quick and moves with finesse, but he also has the ability to straight-up bull-rush opposing blockers. His ability to handle double teams, high game IQ, and awareness are just the icing on the cake of his physical abilities.
Where Brian Flores will have to use his magic are on plenty-coachable areas. Williams is prone to rising too high out of his stance off of the snap, which can leave him vulnerable to easily losing leverage. He must also become more consistent and erase small mistakes, but that could be said about just about every single college prospect that has been scouted for the NFL.
Williams’ Fit Into Brian Flores’ Defense
Tyleik Williams can provide the Vikings with a lot of options. He will likely be drafted into the NFL and be put at defensive tackle, but he could play tackle or 3-4 end for Brian Flores and Minnesota. He is exactly the type of youthful prospect with big-game experience the purple team needs on the defensive interior.
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