Ohio State knew it was bringing in a special class of defensive linemen. If a random Buckeyes fan had been told that at mid-season one of the true freshman defensive linemen would lead the Buckeyes in sacks, it might not have been a surprise.

Must be Jack Sawyer, right? He was phenomenal in the spring game, and has the size and speed to dominate. Actually no, Sawyer has 7 tackles and 2 sacks, and shows flashes of future greatness. But he’s not there yet.

Ah, TJ Tuimoloau must be the guy. Sure, he came to campus late, but he has that 5-star swagger, the freakish athleticism. No again. He has 8 tackles, 1 sack and signs of a promising career ahead. But he’s not the guy.

Tyleik Williams? Yes, Tyleik Williams.

Who?

Sports Betting in Big Ten Country

With the launch coming on January 1, 2023, Ohio sports betting apps are almost here. Pre-registration is now available at FanDuel Ohio for an extra $100 bonus. Learn more. Check out some of the best promotions available for bettors in Ohio.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

A 4-star defensive line prospect from Virginia, Williams might have flown under the radar. Taking a look back at 247sports’s rankings of the Buckeyes’ 2021 class, Williams is about 2/3rds of the way down the list. Way below Sawyer and Tuimoloau. Also below Mike Hall, who has played in 1 game with a single tackle so far. Williams was the 4th of 4 defensive line signees for the Buckeyes.

And when he reported to Ohio State in January, he didn’t do much to change that perception. Williams reported at somewhere between 340 and 350 pounds. Interior defensive linemen need to be big, but Williams … well, he was too big. Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson made Williams a pet project, intrigued by his power and explosiveness, but also recognizing that the big man needed to slim down.

And slim down he did. Williams is playing at around 315 pounds, and the results, well, they’ve been surprising. With OSU struggling to hold on to a 27-20 lead in Week 3 against Tulsa, with new defensive play-caller Matt Barnes learning on the job, it was Williams who came through with a big play. On a 3rd-and-7, Williams broke through and delivered a 17-yard sack on the Tulsa QB. A few moments later, it was 41-20 Buckeyes, and the season was saved.

And suddenly Williams was a threat to offenses everywhere.

“He’s been a work in progress,” Johnson told the media after the Tulsa game. “Now he’s where we want him to be, and he’s starting to show what we thought he would be.”

The following week, against Akron, Williams was in on 6 tackles and added another pair of sacks. He racked up another sack the following week against Rutgers.

It’s not just Johnson who is seeing the change in Williams. Fellow defensive lineman Jerron Cage told the Columbus Dispatch, “We saw his talent. We were telling him he’s got the potential … to be whatever he wants to be.”

It’s been a wild few weeks for Williams, who only lost his black stripe two games into the season — just before the Tulsa game — and now finds himself leading the team in sacks despite having played just 94 snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams has 15 QB pressures in those 94 snaps.

Not bad for a guy who looked headed for a redshirt. When Williams was sweating off those extra pounds in the spring, maybe it was opposing offensive linemen who should have been sweating. While others focused on more highly-touted freshmen, Tyleik Williams — all 300-odd pounds of him — snuck his way toward stardom. Watch out, opposing QBs. Big No. 91 is arriving, ahead of schedule, in a backfield near you.