Tag: ohio state

Lions’ new DT Tyleik Williams draws big praise from his Ohio State coach

Detroit drafted Williams 28th overall in first round

ALLEN PARK — Tyleik Williams, who played four seasons at Ohio State, learned to hate Michigan. Afterall, it was all a part of the program. But on Friday, he seemed genuinely happy to be standing in the Wolverine State wearing a Detroit Lions hat. 

Williams, a defensive tackle, was the Lions first-round pick (28th overall) in the NFL draft on Thursday night. 

“It’s definitely crazy. I’ve learned to hate this state for the last four years. I’m just happy I can put that all behind me,’’ Williams said when introduced to Detroit on Friday at the Lions facility.

A self-professed film junkie, Williams’ work ethic seems unquestionable. More proof? When he showed up at Ohio State as a freshman, he tipped the scales at 360-ish. He blames COVID and just plain overeating. But with the help of a nutritionist and putting in the hard work, he was able to get down to 317. 

“I would say I was born with it, the work ethic has been with me my whole life. I think in college I had a great support staff around me who helped elevate that,’’ Williams said.

Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson knows Williams well. He is a huge fan. 

“Two things off the bat, his initial quickness off the ball and for a big guy to be able to bend and turn corners like he does. It’s unprecedented. You saw him do that very easily,’’ Johnson said in a conference call on Friday.

“I think the thing that separates Tyleik from anybody else is his football IQ. He’s really brilliant and he’s picking up technique, he’s picking up signals from the line of scrimmage. I think that’s his advantage. He’s really smart, he studied video tape and it makes him separate himself from most guys I’ve coached,’’ Johnson added.

When asked to compare Williams to NFL defensive tackles, Johnson said he sees similarities to Aaron Donald, one of the best NFL defensive linemen ever, in the way they both move.

“Don’t get me wrong, I understand he’s not Aaron Donald, but his movement skills, being able to change direction. I think Tyleik has the same kind of moves,’’ Johnson said. “He can go power or he can go finesse up the field, if given the opportunity. But Aaron Donald is in a league by himself. I don’t want to put that pressure on Tyleik going into the league that he’s Aaron Donald. There are some things that Aaron Donald does real easy and Tyleik has the same kind of movement skills. Aaron Donald is a really special player. I don’t think there are many guys like him.’’

Along with Williams’ size (6-3, 334), ability and drive, he seems a perfect match for the Lions who are big on character. 

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard had to be one of the happiest guys in Detroit after the pick.

“Coach Shep, I just met him and I already love him. He’s a high-energy guy, he tells me how much he loves my game and how I play and how I can help the team,’’ Williams said. “You need a guy like that in your corner.’’

He brought five family members with him to the Lions facility on Friday afternoon.

“Why I play the game is for my family, my wife, taking care of them and doing the thing I wanted to do is football,’’ Williams said “I think family is what drives me, knowing I have them in my corner. If I’m sad or something I always have someone to lean on they’re not going to sugarcoat anything, they’re going to tell me how it is.’’

Detroit Lions draft DT Jashon Cornell from Ohio State in 7th round

Jashon Cornell became the third Ohio State Buckeye drafted by the Lions in this 2020 draft.

The Lions selected the defensive tackle in the seventh round with the 235th overall pick. 

“I’ve been talking to the Lions for a while. I was really excited to get that phone call,’’ Cornell said in a conference call on Saturday.

Cornell was the top-ranked recruit in Minnesota after high school and chose Ohio State from more than 30 scholarship offers.

Back then he was best buddies with Lions offensive lineman Frank Ragnow. They would travel to high school camps all over the country together.

At Ohio State, he broke through as a senior starter earning all Big Ten honors. He lined up both inside and outside, but seemed to find a comfort level inside as a senior. 

The other Buckeyes drafted by the Lions this weekend include CB Jeff Okudah (first round) and G Jonah Jackson (third round). 

“Jeff Okudah is a franchise player. He’s going to be – the things that Jeff can do as a defensive back – being able to come in as a freshman and being able to watch Jeff grow, he was able to showcase his ability as one of the best defensive backs in the country,’’ Cornell said. “He came to practice every day, he showed out. Jeff Okudah is going to be a great player for the Lions. Jonah, me and Jonah go at it for 12 weeks out of the year for every year since Jonah (came in) you know, we always had our battles in practice. It’s going to be good to go back up there in Detroit, and be able to compete with Jonah each day at practice and stuff.”

 He thinks having college teammates might help in his transition to the NFL.

“One thing we do at Ohio State is treat everything as if it’s an NFL team. That’s one thing that makes it different from most teams and most players that we’ve been through all the rough patches and we know about the grind and being able to compete at a high level – that’s one thing we did every Saturday,’’ Cornell said. “I think that’s one thing we can transition to Detroit, us Buckeyes can come in bring that competitive factor, that championship mentality that we have at Ohio State. I think that’s one thing we can bring to Detroit as Buckeyes.”

Detroit Lions 2020 draft picks 

First round — CB Jeff Okudah (3rd overall), Ohio State

Second round — RB D’Andre Swift (35th overall) Georgia

Third round — LB Julian Okwara (67th overall) Notre Dame

Third round — G Jonah Jackson (85th overall) Ohio State

Fourth round — G Logan Stenberg (121st overall) Kentucky

Fifth round — WR Quintez Cephus (166th overall) Wisconsin

Fifth round — RB Jason Huntley (172nd overall) New Mexico State

Sixth round — DT John Penisini (197th overall) Utah

Seventh round — DT Jashon Cornell (235th overall) Ohio State

Detroit Lions trade up to draft guard Jonah Jackson in third round

The Lions traded up in the third round to draft guard Jonah Jackson out of Ohio State with the 75th overall pick.

Jackson is the second Ohio State Buckeye drafted by the Lions in their first four picks. Cornerback Jeff Okudah was selected in the first round. 

“He’s a brother, he’s a fellow Buckeye. We had a good rapport the short time I was there, a great dude and a great competitor that I’m ready to go to war with,’’ Jackson said about Okudah on a conference call on Friday night.

Detroit traded picks 85, 149 and 182 to the Indianapolis Colts for picks 75 and 197 to move up to grab Jackson, who is 6-foot-3 and 306 pounds. The Lions coached Jackson during the Senior Bowl where they got to know each other. Still he didn’t know if they would draft him. 

He played his first four years at Rutgers and then for his final year of eligibility he went to Ohio State to compete for one of the four open starting jobs on the offensive line. He earned the left guard role, started 14 games and was named third-team Associated Press All-American and earned first-team All Big Ten honors. 

“I went to Ohio State just looking for opportunity, just to be able to showcase my ability and pounce on another platform,” Jackson said. “I felt like it definitely helped me – wherever I was I felt like coaches would be able to find me. But being able to go to Ohio State and hang the banner up in that indoor facility for a Big Ten Championship and being able to get the ring and the gold pants – it was awesome.”

Jackson could fill a need on the Lions’ offensive line with the departure of Graham Glasgow. Last season Glasgow rotated at right guard with Kenny Wiggins and Joe Dahl. 

Jackson was not at Ohio State when Lions left tackle Taylor Decker played there. 

In the second round on Friday night, the Lions drafted running back D’Andre Swift (Georgia). With their first pick in the third round (67th overall) they selected edge rusher Julian Okwara whose brother, Romeo, is a defensive end for the Lions.