The Detroit Lions finished their 2022 NFL Draft with the selection of Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West.
West was part of a deep defensive line rotation for the Volunteers and had his best season in 2025 with 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Primarily an edge rusher in college, West has some position versatility at 6-foot-1, 283 pounds. He can slot into the big end role and potentially push inside in some packages too. That versatility is his ticket to a roster spot in Detroit.
View photos of defensive lineman Tyre West.
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) during an NCAA football game against ETSU on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West, center left, sacks Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West, right, tackles Vanderbilt running back Sedrick Alexander (28) in the end zone for a safety during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennesse DL Tyre West (Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics)
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) reacts after a tackle during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/James Pugh)
Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) runs the ball as Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) reaches for the tackle during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) plays during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Chattanooga quarterback Chase Artopoeus (9) is tackled by Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) runs the ball as Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) reaches for the tackle during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
He took a pre-draft visit to Detroit as part of the team's allotted 30 and left thinking he'd be a good fit in Detroit.
"I talked to (defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Coach Sheppard, I had talked to the D-line coach. I talked to everyone in the facility, and everybody just had great energy," he said.
"I loved all the energy and the emotion that they came to me with when I first got there. I just knew for a fact it was going to be a good fit. I know they play aggressive, and that's something that I bring to my game a lot, just being aggressive. That's just something I'm ready for."
West has strong hands to go along with a heavy build and quick twitch to help him gain leverage. He totaled 17 quarterback pressures in each of the last two seasons and at least 5.0 tackles for loss in three of his four collegiate seasons. Despite being part of a deep defensive line rotation in Tennessee, he said he never considered transferring.
"Like you said, loyalty," he said. "It runs very deep in me, and just what we had at Tennessee with our D-line and everything – everything I started with, I just want to finish."
West was a player Lions general manager Brad Holmes said kept standing out to him every time he put Tennessee's tape on and he started watching their defensive front because of the way he impacted the game.
