The Detroit Lions' 2025 draft class didn't have the immediate impact that the 2021-2023 classes did, but they still turned in solid, under-the-radar rookie campaigns.
Entering their sophomore year, the Lions will need them to start making that impact. Second round right guard Tate Ratledge has already mustered up excitement thanks to the reworked offensive line surrounding him, but two other Lions sophomores are starting to get looks as 2026 breakout candidates.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report shared his thoughts on each NFL team's most notable position battle as well as two breakout candidates. For the Lions, Knox looked at two incoming sophomores, the first being defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.
Williams was the Lions' first-round selection in 2025, who Knox said "flashed promise as a rookie but probably didn't wow anyone statistically." Knox points to Williams' likely expanded role after D.J. Reader signed with the New York Giants as his main reason why he believes Williams can break out.
"Williams should be in store for a more prominent role following the departure of D.J. Reader in free agency. As an interior defender, he may still not deliver gaudy numbers. However, Williams' production should more closely match his draft status in Year 2."
Williams played in all 17 games last season, a rarity for the Lions' defense, while starting ten of them. Six of those starts came in the first six games of the regular season, but his snaps started to dip after Alim McNeill's return in Week 7.
Williams managed to get 18 combined tackles throughout the season, along with his lone sack in the Lions' penultimate game against the Minnesota Vikings. Pro Football Focus graded Williams' rookie season at 62.1, good for 51st among interior defensive linemen. That grade was still higher than McNeill's (52.1), but a little below Reader's (68.9).
Williams now has a fantastic opportunity to gain snaps while playing alongside a version of McNeill that should more closely resemble the one that almost was named an All-Pro had it not been for his late-season injury in 2024.
TeSlaa continues to bring excitement entering Year Two
The other Lions rookie poised for a breakout season, according to Knox, is wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa. TeSlaa's abilities need little introduction after setting the league on fire with his highlight reel catches. Catches in general came too far in between as he was slowly eased into the Lions' offense in 2025.
After Kalif Raymond signed with the Chicago Bears, the WR3 spot has opened up for TeSlaa. Knox believes he'll do just that, earning him significantly more snaps on offense. The Lions also avoided major moves at WR, which may speak to the faith they have in TeSlaa to fill in that role.
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An interesting wrinkle in the TeSlaa hype is the new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, and passing game coordinator Mike Kafka. It'll be a different offense compared to the one that TeSlaa played in last season under John Morton, so time will tell if the Petzing-Kafka duo has more ambitious plans for TeSlaa in 2026.
The 2026 Lions are still in the "pajama party" phase of the offseason. The dog days of summer are still ahead, which is when coaches and fans will hopefully see the first signs of a Williams and TeSlaa breakout season emerge.
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