With one preseason win under their belt, the Detroit Lions' PFF numbers are officially out. After taking a look at the offense , it's now time to break down the defense.
We'll start with the defensive line, which saw several notable players make their preseason debuts. Derrick Moore made his first NFL appearance, while Tyleik Williams and D.J. Wonnum also saw their first action of the preseason.
Defensive Ends
Starting with the highest-graded player on the defense, undrafted free agent Eric O'Neill finished with an impressive 89.6 defensive grade. However, there is some important context, as O'Neill played just nine total snaps.
O'Neill recorded two tackles and one quarterback hit during those nine snaps. He is competing for a roster spot as an undrafted free agent, and while the small sample size should be considered, he certainly made the most of his opportunities.
Another edge rusher who had a strong performance was Levi Onwuzurike, who finished with an 86.8 defensive grade. He also posted a 58.7 run-defense grade, 43.9 tackling grade and 62.7 pass-rush grade while playing 18 snaps.
Onwuzurike has had trouble staying on the field throughout his career, including missing all of last season with a back injury. Now healthy, he is looking to finally make an impact for Detroit this season.
Training camp standout and preseason Game 1 star Ahmed Hassanein also had a solid performance. Hassanein played 19 snaps and finished with a 68.2 overall defensive grade, including a 71.8 run-defense grade and 56.9 pass-rush grade.
He finished with two tackles and two quarterback hurries as he continues to make his case for a roster spot.
Tyler Lacy and Chris Smith also saw action but were limited to smaller workloads. Lacy played just seven snaps and earned a 57.7 overall grade, while Smith played 12 snaps and finished with a 57.4 grade. Neither player recorded a tackle.
One of the biggest storylines coming into the game was the debut of second-round pick Derrick Moore, and he immediately made an impact.
Moore played 25 snaps and finished with a 70.9 overall defensive grade, including a 70.6 run-defense grade, 72.0 tackling grade and 73.7 pass-rush grade. He recorded two tackles and added a highlight-reel strip sack.
Moore is competing with D.J. Wonnum for the starting defensive end job opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Wonnum recorded a sack while playing 14 snaps, finishing with a 63.3 overall grade, 52.7 run-defense grade, 72.8 tackling grade and 70.1 pass-rush grade.
Another defensive end competing for a roster spot is undrafted free agent Anthony Lucas. Lucas played 13 snaps but struggled to make a major impact, finishing with a 55.8 overall grade, 57.3 run-defense grade and 58.1 pass-rush grade.
He did record one quarterback hit and one tackle, but Lucas will likely need a strong performance in the final preseason game if he wants a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster.
Interior Defensive Line
Skyler Gill-Howard posted the highest PFF grade for the defensive tackles. He played 23 snaps and earned an impressive 80.8 overall grade, along with a 70.7 run-defense grade, 68.7 tackling grade and 70.2 pass-rush grade.
Gill-Howard finished with the fifth-highest PFF grade on the Lions' defense and recorded one quarterback hit and one tackle.
Meanwhile, 2025 first-round pick Tyleik Williams saw his first preseason action. Williams played just eight snaps and did not record a statistical category, but he still earned a respectable 68.7 defensive grade.
Finally, Mekhi Wingo played 24 snaps and finished with a 58.8 overall grade. He posted a 61.3 run-defense grade and 69.0 tackling grade, but his 49.1 pass-rush grade brought down his overall mark.
Wingo did record one quarterback hit and one tackle.
With roster cuts coming within a week, the defensive line is beginning to take shape. Several players are separating themselves from the competition, while others will need a strong showing in the final preseason game to solidify their place on the 53-man roster.
