Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge, Detroit's first two picks in this year's NFL Draft, made their preseason debut Friday in Atlanta. Asked about their performance on Monday, head coach Dan Campbell said he thought both players put some good things on tape.
"Solid. Solid. And that was the point, get them out there in a real game, function in the huddle, play clock, the whole thing," Campbell said. "There was a little bit of a crowd. Just the atmosphere of it. I thought they were solid, I thought they were solid. Something to build off of."
Williams was graded the Lions' top defensive lineman against the run vs. the Falcons by Pro Football Focus, despite not recording an official statistic in four series of work. He showed the ability to push his blocker back and play on the other side of the line of scrimmage, which freed others up to make some plays around him. The Lions love his combination of power and quick feet and he showed some of that off in Atlanta.
"I played pretty well," Williams said coming off the practice field Monday. "Definitely was moving a little slow but it was the first time back on the actual game field. Just a blessing putting on this uniform and playing."
The Lions drafted Williams No. 28 overall in the first round and expect him to make a big impact early along the interior of their defensive front. It will be fun to watch him and Alim McNeill together when McNeill (ACL) returns later this year.
"It just felt good to hit someone else other than Tate (Ratledge) and Christian (Mahogany) and all those guys," Williams said. "It was a good experience getting my feet wet."
Ratledge played 15 pass block reps in four series and allowed just one pressure. His best play was the last play of the first quarter when he pancaked Falcons defensive tackle Morgan Fox to open a big hole for running back Craig Reynolds in the run game. He plays a physical brand of football that fits Detroit's style upfront and it was good to see some of that physicality and athleticism show through in Friday's performance.
View photos from Day 12 of Detroit Lions training camp on Monday August 11, 2025.
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Kyle Allen (8) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) and Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Giovanni Manu (59) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors (48) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Nick Whiteside (38) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jackson Meeks (83) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Tyson Russell (35) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Ronnie Bell (10) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors (48) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James (80) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) and Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Jamarco Jones (72) and Detroit Lions edge rusher Mitchell Agude (50) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) and Detroit Lions offensive lineman Michael Niese (62) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Kyle Allen (8) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James (80) and Detroit Lions cornerback Tyson Russell (35) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) and Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 11, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Ratledge has been taking most of the first-team reps at right guard since the pads came on at training camp and is expected to play a key role upfront along Detroit's offensive line early this season.
It was good to see Williams and Ratledge get their first taste of NFL football and show they can step in, fit in, and make some plays. The Lions will need both players to continue the steady rise we've seen them take throughout the course of training camp so far.
