LIONS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER BRAD HOLMES DRAFT DAY 1 QUOTE SHEET
April 24, 2025
Opening Statement: “Obviously, super excited (with) how everything went tonight, to be able to acquire (DT) Tyleik (Williams). I’ve obviously been watching him for a really long time. He’s played a lot of football there at a very consistent level, and he just has a lot of traits and qualities that we’re looking for, and he’s going to fit right in here like a glove. We spent a lot of time with him during the process leading up to this, and we were very, very impressed after each time that we were able to spend time with him.”
On how he views the role for the Lions first-round draft selection (28th overall) DL Tyleik Williams: “Yeah, I do think that he’s got a lot of versatility in his game. I think one of the things, not only – he has the physical skillset, he’s got the power. He’s got the bend and the agility. He’s a very nimble athlete, but the thing about it is that he’s incredibly instinctive, too. In my opinion, him and one other DT that were in this class were the top-two instinctive defensive tackles in this whole class, and he was one of those guys. I think his versatility is really going to help. He has a lot of similar traits to (Lions DL) Alim McNeill, almost a similar body type. I just think that he – Alim came out more nose tackle-ish, a little bit. Obviously, (he) slimmed his body down (and) became a three-technique. I think he’s kind of coming in closer to that right now.”
On how Lions DL Tyleik Williams fits into the organization from a character standpoint: “He kicked it off at the Combine, and then obviously our scouts had a lot of intel on him – we knew all about him. I remember his interview at the Combine – he really knocked it out the park with his intelligence and how much he knew about the game. It’s kind of like building a house with the character portion of it, and then we were able to bring him in on a top-30 (visit) and he knocked it out again. He just kept checking those boxes. But he’s a good kid, he’s mild-mannered. He doesn’t say a lot, he’s more about his business, but he fits right in not only from the physical qualities, but he’s going to fit in with the other standards that we have around here.”
On if the Draft played out how the team projected it would: “It was – I will say, it got a little tight toward there kind of leading up to our pick. The run that we were hoping to see happen didn’t happen as early as we might have thought, but it did come. It kind of came in the middle of the round, and then once that run happened, we felt a lot better about being able to land him (Tyleik Williams). It was a handful of guys, but he was our top target.”
On what the feeling is when there is a lot of trade action right before the Lions are on the clock: “It just depends. We do a lot of work beforehand – what our team needs and all of that. We have all of that information, so when you see a team that has a need at IDL or something and they start trading up, or they might be calling you to trade and then you see just maybe that one left up there, and you’re kind of like, “Eh, don’t feel great about that. Just getting a little thin.” There was a lot of – I don’t want to say panic – but there was a little anxiety there. A little anxiety there, the breathing got a little irregular at times, but we’re thrilled with how it panned out.”
On how much potential Lions DL Tyleik Williams has from a pass-rushing perspective: “I do, again, I think – I don’t want to call him a mirror-image – but I think he’s a lot like the guy that we have now in (Lions DL) Alim (McNeill) in terms of being able to catch an edge, rush with power, have instincts. He has quickness, he can counter. I know his pass-rushing stats aren’t off-the-chart, but when you watch the tape, you can see that he’s a three-down player.”
On what it does for the defense to have both Lions DL Tyleik Williams and Lions DL Alim McNeill on the field at the same time: “It gives us versatility. It gives us versatility and again, they’re very unique – I think someone said, ‘Well he looks like a nose tackle, but he can play three-technique.’ I think I might have said that when we drafted Alim, where he looks like your traditional nose tackle, but he’s not one of those one-dimensional nose tackles. He has stuff inside of his body that’s very nimble and agile, and he’s able to do a lot of different things. I think Tyleik is the same way.”
On if he was tempted to move up for an edge rusher and if he is confident he can still find one in the Draft: “We’ll just kind of see. I have some ideas in mind already, and again, I’m not saying it’s going to be for that specific position. It’s like I tell you guys all the time, we’re not going to reach for a position. The player has to be a productive player that plays that position. But yeah, there’s still some guys left up there. I’ve already got some ideas brewing. It might just be staying patient, it (might) just be going up, but we’ve just got to see how this thing unfolds.”
On if they received calls about trading back from the No. 28 overall pick: “Got a few calls when it got close to our pick. Just didn’t feel great just kind of how it was thinning out for us specifically. That’s the fascination of the NFL, right? It’s 31 other different boards and you have no idea. You can do all the research in advance and all that stuff, but at the end of the day you truly don’t know. That’s what makes it fun. You’ve just kind of got to try to make the most responsible decision that you can. We thought about it. There was one enticing one, but we just felt that with the depth of that group right there and how the board was falling out, felt it was the most responsible thing to stay put.”
On if there was an enticing offer to trade back but still have a first-round pick: “Yeah.”
On if he has an idea brewing about a prospect that he feels he has to trade up to pick tomorrow: “You know how I am. That’s why I kind of want to just hesitate a little bit on that answer right now, but it just depends on how I’m feeling tomorrow. The good thing about it is there are still some good players that are worth (it), so if I wake up and have that feeling and (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) has similar feelings as well, there’s a chance but we’ll just kind of see how it goes.”
On if drafting a defensive tackle says anything about Lions DL Alim McNeill’s availability: “Yeah, I mean obviously – I think I said it in Florida, that there is a good chance we might be without him at the start of the season. With the depth that we have, then that stabilizes that position for the immediate but also that’s what’s so great about this pick. We thought Tyleik was a great fit for the now and immediate, but even more excited for the future when you look years ahead.”
On if he took any calls about trading Lions WR Jameson Williams: “No. That’s something that we have never entertained. I don’t know where that report came from, but that’s not a conversation that me and (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) have ever had.”
LIONS FIRST-ROUND DRAFT SELECTION (NO. 28TH OVERALL) DL TYLEIK WILLIAMS DRAFT DAY 1 QUOTE SHEET
On his reaction to being selected by the Lions and if he believed he could be selected in the first round: “Yeah, definitely. I had great talks with the Lions when I met with them and they explained that I could be a key piece to the defense, so it was definitely in the back of my mind that it was a spot I could land. But right now, I’m just happy. It’s a lot of emotions going on right now, tears, family, it’s just a lot. I’m just happy though.”
On where his IQ for the game comes from: “Yeah, for me, IQ, it comes from – I watch a lot of film. I would say I’m like a film junkie, I’m always in the film room, trying to gain an advantage of anything I can. I pick up on a lot of things that offensive lines tend to do, and I feel like I can relay that information to the defense and put us in a great spot. It’s better to know what’s coming than just going out there and just guessing, so I pride myself on being that (guy) who can give us those tips to be better as a front.”
On what went through his mind when he stumbled during his 40-yard dash at Ohio State’s Pro Day and if he worried about that affecting his Draft stock: “At first I was kind of worried, but talking to everybody at the Pro Day, they said I would’ve ran a 4.8, 4.9, and at my weight, 329 – I was 329 then, that’s unheard of. So, I wasn’t really too mad about it. I knew I would get healthy eventually and now we’re here. I’m not worried about it, it’s in the past, but it was a moment for sure.”
On what his takeaway was from his NFL Combine meeting with Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell and Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard: “The Combine meeting went great. We just went over some basic stuff, some basic film stuff, getting to know me, but it was a good conversation. I really enjoyed meeting Coach Campbell, he’s really a cool guy. During games in college, he seemed like he was that really hyped-up guy, but he’s really a cool guy. He got to know me, and I got to know him a little bit, and we talked ball. But it was good conversations and just – I’m happy I’m here.”
On where he watched the Draft from and what the party was like: “I’m back in Virginia with all of my family and friends – it’s about 50 people downstairs. But yeah, we’re just all sitting here together, having a great time. They’re waiting for me downstairs right now, but I told them I had more things to do. But it’s going to be a great night, just great memories. This only happens once in a lifetime, so I’m just going to try and enjoy it as much as I can and it’s time to work.”
On where his speed comes from: “My speed comes from – I was always a running back growing up. I was always the biggest, fastest kid on the field, and I think over time, through high school, I grew into a D-tackle body, but the feet never left me. The feet always stayed with me. I’ve always had quick feet, I’ve always been able to burst and run, so I’m just – I’m blessed, I’ll say that. Most people get bigger and get slower. I think I kind of got faster, so I’m just blessed.”
On how much he knows about Lions DL Alim McNeill and what he thinks of the idea of playing alongside him: “Yeah, Alim McNeill, I’ve been hearing that name a lot. They’ve been saying I’m a great comparison to him. Yeah, actually, after I met with the Lions, they kind of told me about Alim, so I went and watched film myself. But he’s a great player, I have no complaints about being compared to him. I think he’s a great player and I think me and him together will gel well and make a lot of plays.”
On what the experience of winning the National Championship did for him: “For me, it kind of was just a warming moment. I’ve been through a lot of stuff with those guys at Ohio State. The guys that came back last year who could’ve went to the NFL and did whatever – we all decided to come back. We wanted to cement ourselves in Ohio State legacy, so getting that done, it meant everything. It was a great time with great people and we made a lot of memories, and those memories will live on forever. So, it was a great moment for sure.”
On how much potential he feels he has as a pass-rusher: “For pass rush, the scheme we played at Ohio State was kind of a bull-rush, kind of cage scheme, so on film you didn’t really see a lot of the pass rush, but I think I’m a great pass rusher. I’ve definitely got to show it and build on it of course, but I’m not too worried about the – what people have got to say right now, I know I’m going to go in and work and get better, so it’s not really a problem right now. I know I’m going to get better at it. I know I’m going to grow, I know I’ll become that three-down player. It’s just all ready to work – I don’t really know how to put it into words. I’m ready to work.”
