Tyleik Williams, Defensive Tackle, Detroit Lions, Round 1, Pick 28: A-
Williams is in a great place, as the Lions have been really good in the past two seasons under Dan Campbell. The only cause of concern he and Detroit have with their defensive line is last year's injuries and how they recovered from them. The Lions pride themselves on being strong in the trenches, and with Williams and clean bills of health, they'll be more dangerous than ever this fall. Detroit drafted Williams to hold down the middle and give their edge-rushers one-on-one matchups. That’s what Williams did for Ohio State to win a national championship.
JT Tuimoloau, Defensive End, Indianapolis Colts, Round 2, Pick 45: B
Tuimoloau is joining a solid defensive line in Indianapolis. Pro-Bowler DeForest Buckner anchors it and has a veteran Buckeye in Tyquan Lewis on the team to show J.T. Tuimoloau the ropes. #44 should be an immediate impact player for the Colts' defense. The only problem for him in this situation is not knowing how well the Colts' offense will play, which may have him on the field a lot.
Cody Simon, Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals, Round 4, Pick 115: C+
The Cardinals addressed their defense in this draft with six of their seven picks, including Simon’s Buckeye teammate Denzel Burke. Simon may not be penciled in as a starter immediately, but his hard work and sure tackling should ensure him a roster spot.
Lathan Ransom, Safety, Carolina Panthers, Round 4, Pick 122: C
Ransom is a ballhawk. He flies to the football in all aspects of defense, but especially in run support. The Panthers will need him to contribute immediately and improve their 32nd-ranked passing defense and their 22nd-ranked rushing defense. That’s a tall task, even for a star like Ransom. That’s why this is only a C, but Ransom will give it his all.
Jack Sawyer, Defensive End, Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 4, Pick 123: B+
It’s always good for a player to get to a solid, winning franchise. That’s why even as a Bengals fan I can be happy with Sawyer being picked by the Steelers. Sawyer will be with a great defense that has T.J. Watt, fellow Buckeyes Cam Heyward and Malik Harrison and fellow rookie Derrick Harmon. Mike Tomlin says Sawyer has Pittsburgh DNA. Pittsburgh will help Sawyer reach his highest potential, even if that means moving from defensive end to outside linebacker. Sawyer is ready to learn Renegade.
Ty Hamilton, Defensive Tackle, Los Angeles Rams, Round 5, Pick 148: B-
The Rams got a very good player who just quietly does his job. A big chunk of Ohio State’s success came directly from Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams, who dominated and disrupted in the middle. His brother has done the same for the Jaguars for five seasons. He gives Cam Heyward vibes and is a steal for L.A.
Jordan Hancock, Defensive Back, Buffalo Bills, Round 5, Pick 170: B-
Hancock was drafted by Buffalo to help improve their 23rd-ranked passing defense. This is a great position for him to do just that since the Bills already have a stable offense to lean on. If Hancock, the underrated defensive back that he is, can help them get just a few more stops this year, he’ll have been a steal in the fifth.
Denzel Burke, Defensive Back, Arizona Cardinals, Round 5, Pick 174: C+
Burke is like fellow Buckeye and now fellow Cardinal Cody Simon in that they should both be positive impacts right away on special teams, if not in the starting lineup. Burke is also a sure tackler and strong against the run. He’ll be asked to help improve the 19th-ranked rush defense and the 14th-ranked pass defense.