The Detroit Lions are excited about the potential of their pairing inside along the defensive line next season that features Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams. McNeill will be a full season removed from the torn ACL suffered late in 2024, and Williams is expected to take a big leap in production going into his second season after being the team's first-round pick in last year's NFL Draft.
Depth at the position is currently a bit of a question mark with DJ Reader and Roy Lopez scheduled to hit free agency in March. Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo and Chris Smith are currently the depth at the position on the roster, but that could change via free agency in March. Lopez was a particularly good fit in Detroit's defense last season and could be a candidate to re-sign.
Like we talked about with the edge position, this is a stacked defensive line class and that includes the interior defenders. Even if the best player available at No. 17 isn't an interior defender, there's plenty of depth at the position that early contributors can be found well into Day 2.
Top 5 defensive tackles to watch at the Combine:
1. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State, 6-3, 326
McDonald is a strong and stout interior defender who will make his biggest impact initially against the run. McDonald had rare tackle production for an interior defender with 65 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss for the Buckeyes last season. He has the ability to be a more productive pass rusher (3.0 sacks in 34 college games) with more technique work.