Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams emerged as a star last year.
He was selected to the All-Big Ten second team in the media vote and to the third team by the coaches. He was a second-team Walter Camp All-American.
The Virginia native led the Buckeye linemen in 2023 with 53 tackles and was tied with 10 tackles for loss.
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Here are three things you should know about Williams:
Tyleik Williams almost went to Alabama
Ohio State was not Williams’ first choice. A recruit from Manassas, Virginia, he preferred Alabama.
“I wanted to go to ‘Bama because it was closer, further south, and I didn’t really know anything about Ohio,” Williams said.
But Alabama recruited another top defensive lineman in Tim Keenan, and Keenan committed before Williams.
“I called them to let them know I wanted to join and they basically told me the spot on the list was full,” he said.
Williams was disappointed, but had developed a good relationship with OSU defensive line coach Larry Johnson, so the Buckeyes were a natural fit.
He is an all-round athlete
Williams’ trademark is his speed for a guy who is 6’3″ and weighs 320 pounds. He showed that he was athletic at a young age.
He started as a quarterback in the junior ranks before switching to running back. When it became clear he had outgrown those positions, he became a lineman. In high school, he set a school record in the shot put, breaking a record that stood for 19 years.
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“So far he holds that record,” his mother, Gloria Williams, said last year.
Weight loss is the key to recovery
Williams impressed with his skills early in his career at Ohio State, but he lacked stamina and consistency.
A big reason for this was that he weighed 360 pounds when he enrolled at Ohio State University. He was a senior in high school in 2020 when COVID forced the cancellation of his season. By his own account, he let himself go physically.
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“I was supposed to be at 320, but COVID got the better of me,” he said.
After losing weight and improving his fitness, his performance began to match his potential.
