First-year floor and ceiling projections for Detroit Lions' draft class as rookies report for training camp
While Detroit Lions’ training camp doesn’t officially start until this weekend, the team’s rookies are scheduled to report on Wednesday, a few days ahead of the veterans.
First-year players have played a crucial role in the franchise’s turnaround, from perennial cellar dweller to legitimate Super Bowl contender. It wasn’t until last season that the team didn’t need to heavily lean on multiple rookies, with only first-round pick Terrion Arnold logging significant playing time throughout his debut campaign.
Will things revert even slightly this season, or should we continue to anticipate fewer rookie contributions to a deep and veteran-laden roster?
As the rookies report, let’s inspect this year’s draft class, exploring the floor and ceiling for each player’s first season before predicting where they’ll fall between those extremes.
Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams
Ceiling: During general manager Brad Holmes’ tenure, the Lions have consistently received immediate and significant contributions from the team’s first-round draft picks, including Arnold last year. Beyond receiver Jameson Williams, who spent much of his debut season recovering from a torn ACL, Holmes’ five other first-rounders have averaged 836 offensive or defensive snaps as rookies.
Those past results raise expectations for Williams, the No. 28 pick out of Ohio State.
If Detroit’s roster were at full strength heading into the season, it wouldn’t be as easy to project a steady role. However, with Alim McNeill working his way back from his own ACL injury, Williams should be asked to shoulder a larger workload, at least for the first half of the season.
Typically, defensive tackles don’t stuff the stat sheet. The Lions would be content to see Williams perform at a similar level as McNeill did as a rookie in 2021, when he appeared in 16 games as a third-round choice out of North Carolina State and delivered 39 tackles and 2.0 sacks.