Lions grab pass-rushing defensive tackle with Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard – Breaking down the risks, rewards, and scouting report
The Detroit Lions add more defensive line help in the sixth round with the addition of Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard. Another pass rusher who can do some things. The rewards for the Lions with Skyler Gill-Howard Right off the bat, the first thing that popped off the page to everyone is “This guy had a […]
The Detroit Lions add more defensive line help in the sixth round with the addition of Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard. Another pass rusher who can do some things.
The rewards for the Lions with Skyler Gill-Howard
Right off the bat, the first thing that popped off the page to everyone is “This guy had a 55-yard pick six?” Yeah, he did. You can watch it here.
Aside from that, you can see that he is not going to be a nose guard for Detroit. While he does have run-stuffing ability and has graded out as high as 87.9 in that department per Pro Football Focus. This guy is a pass-rushing defensive tackle more than anything. He had 29 pressures and five sacks in 2024.
In addition to what he can do in other interiors, there are some big edge possibilities. He played defensive end for Texas Tech on multiple occasions and played linebacker in high school and partially at Northern Illinois. There’s some versatility there for sure.
The risk for the Lions with Skyler Gill-Howard
Gill-Howard was really good at Northern Illinois, but when he got to Texas Tech, he kind of looked like a small fish in a big pond. Being around David Bailey, Romello Height, and Lee Hunter will do that to just about everyone. All of those guys went a lot higher than him. So it makes you wonder a bit if his play at Northern Illinois was really more of him just going up against lesser competition.
He had ankle surgery in October, and that cost him the rest of his season at Texas Tech. He did do athletic testing this year at his pro day and looked good and healthy doing it. But it’s something to definitely keep on your radar.
Skyler Gill-Howard scouting report via The Beast
“A one-year starter at Texas Tech, Gill-Howard played the three-technique in defensive coordinator Shiel Wood’s 4-2-5 base scheme. A former Division II walk-on, he is a self-made player — he went from scout-team linebacker at Northern Illinois to impactful defensive tackle for the Red Raiders. A midseason ankle injury robbed him of the second half of his final college season.
Every prospect takes a different journey to the NFL’s doorstep, and Gill-Howard is no exception. He made the transition to the defensive line without sacrificing his athleticism, which allows him to slice through gaps and work down the line of scrimmage. Though built with solid mass, he lacks ideal size and length for trench work, which often puts him at a disadvantage. His leadership capabilities won’t go unnoticed by NFL coaches, however.”
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