COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tyleik Williams knows what a three-technique defensive tackle is supposed to do just by watching Aaron Donald in the Super Bowl.

“You give him a one-on-one, that’s pretty dumb,” the Ohio State sophomore said, seeing a player in the middle of the line that can free up defensive ends on the outside just by his presence, serving as one of the best pass rushers sitting on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard.

That’s who Williams wants to be. He wants to be tough, not easily moved around in the B block, able to hold his own.

That wasn’t Williams’ problem in 2021. In his first year as an Ohio State defensive tackle, he was dynamic, holding his own, showing that tenacity Larry Johnson expects from the middle of his defensive line. But after one explosive play – one sack – Williams was done, tired, jogging back to the sideline.

He had it, but not consistently, averaging 13 snaps per game with only three games in which he played more than 20 snaps: Tulsa, Akron and Rutgers.

Simply put, he was out of shape, always last in drills, constantly out of breath.

Coming into his first season at Ohio State, Williams, having his senior season at Unity Reed High School in Manassas, Virginia canceled due to COVID–19, was 360 pounds, checking in for a few plays, getting tired and having to be subbed right out.

“I mean, he’s always positive, but he knew I had to get down. It’s too big. I was fat,” Williams said of his first interaction with strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti.

“My goals for the season were basically what I had. I always wanted more. I just wasn’t in shape, so they couldn’t put me on the field. That’s not on them, that’s on me.”

The God-given ability was there. Williams knew how to play football, leading to 6.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks in his freshman season.

He just needed to get to a place where the speed he had, the agility he had which was abnormal for someone of his size, was consistent, showing off the quick first step for more than 13 snaps per game.

Williams began to work, losing around 40 pounds and coming into the spring around the 320 mark, already seeing an improvement in his quickness and his get-off at the line of scrimmage.

“I think my agility has helped the most,” Williams said. “I was always quick. But now I think I’m starting to actually see my true potential. Because last year, I was actually huge. I couldn’t show what I really could do. Now, I’m not that way.”

That’s what Ryan Day’s been most impressed with.

Even after Ohio State’s first padded practice of the spring, the head coach could sense a renewed Williams, seeing a defensive tackle in much better shape, who can still have those short, explosive moments for four-to-six seconds in the middle of the defensive line, the moments similar to what the freshman had against Tulsa when he had his first career sack and against Akron when he added two more.

But consistency is what makes a defensive tackle turn from good to great, Day says, something he sees Williams striving for.

“His body’s very different. He can go for an extended period of time,” Day said. “I think when he first got here, he’d flash for like one or two plays, and you always saw his athleticism. Like tremendously athletic. One of the better athletes on our team, believe it or not. Just like from zero to 10 yards, he has like one of our better times, which we have some very good athletes. He’s very, very athletic, but it’s the ability to sustain, and that’s the thing he’s gotten much better at.

“I think the challenge that probably Coach Johnson has for him is just his ability to sustain, but then also in the run game, being strong and stout play after play after play because that’s really, at defensive tackle, what it is. You have to be able to get in there and play for an extended period of time. Just a flash, one or two plays, doesn’t quite get it done at this level. But that’s maturity, and that’s where he’s going.”

For Williams, it was an inherent athleticism he had to dig out, something fellow defensive tackle Mike Hall sees, picturing the potential of the pair in the middle of the defensive line, thinking of how scary it must be to opposing offensive linemen.

“Tyleik, he’s huge, but a lot of people don’t expect him to be fast the way he’s at,” Hall said. “But he’ll scare you because he gets off the ball quick.”

It’s potential Jack Sawyer sees, too, saying Williams came in “kind of sloppier” and “soft-looking” when he first arrived at the program, but developed into this specimen that has ridiculous twitch with a “real good first step.”

It’s potential Williams sees in himself.

Preparing for his sophomore season, he sees himself being capable of that dominant three-technique defensive tackle play, creating one-on-one opportunities for defensive ends like Sawyer, Zach Harrison and J.T. Tuimoloau on the outside.

He wants to be that defensive tackle where it would be “pretty dumb” to leave one-on-one. And there were moments in his freshman year, something Williams thought was pretty good considering he hadn’t played football in nearly two years.

The only thing Williams seems to think held him back last year was fatigue. And with that out of the way, the sophomore defensive tackle is ready to show what he can do.

“My last year was my senior season of high school. That’s how I look at it,” Williams said. “This year’s got to get better.”