If you look at any standouts, stock-ups, or winners from the Detroit Lions’ preseason win over the Washington Commanders, that list is almost certainly going to have rookie defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard. While he didn’t show up much on the box score—one tackle for loss and one QB hit—he was clearly disruptive to anyone who was watching even moderately closely. That’s reflected a little better in his overall PFF score (80.8), which was the highest of any Lions defender who logged at least 20 snaps Saturday afternoon.
Gill-Howard was drafted by the Lions in April to bring some pass-rushing juice to the interior of the defensive line, and that’s exactly what he did against the Commanders. He continues to flash, and it’s earned him a nickname from coach Dan Campbell.
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“‘Sun Bleach’ just continues to make plays,” Campbell said. “He does it in practice. You can feel him out there. He just is relentless, and he plays snap-to-whistle, and he’s all out.”
Gill-Howard admits things are starting to click after a slow start to camp. Remember that he’s not just making the jump to the NFL; he’s also playing for the first time since suffering a season-ending injury last October with Texas Tech.
“I can feel things really click. I’m starting to react right quick, just getting used to the NFL,” Gill-Howard said after Saturday’s game.
But getting to the quarterback is not enough to make it full-time in this league, and being a one-trick pony is not a way to get playing time in Detroit. The coaching staff demands balance from their defensive linemen, and that means being able to stop the run. That’s where Gill-Howard actually believes he took a step back against the Commanders, despite getting more early-down reps in the first half.
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“Obviously I can move around guys, but in the run where it gets gritty, I have to be better. Today wasn’t the best in the run game, but I didn’t allow too much,” Gill-Howard said.
One thing working against the rookie defensive tackle is his size. At just 6-foot, 280 pounds, offensive linemen can sometimes outweigh him by 40-50 pounds. In college, he utilized his quick first step and athleticism to get around blocks, but in Detroit’s scheme, they don’t want players shooting gaps, as it could jeopardize gap integrity for the entire unit.
“I was just trying to shoot gaps,” Gill-Howard admitted. “We don’t play an attack front here. They’re going to talk to me about that when we watch film tomorrow. I be trying to shoot gaps, but I’ve got to play with my hands better.”
Ironically, Gill-Howard’s best play of the game came in the run game. He shot into the backfield and took down Commanders running back Kayton Allen for a 3-yard loss.
While this is another example of him shooting the gaps, he credited his film study for this play.
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“I knew exactly what they were running, if I’m being honest,” Gill-Howard said. “We talked about that a lot during our little film session yesterday—well, the whole week, really. The guard, he left that a-gap wide open, so I know he’s trying not to get beat in there. So I know I’m fast enough to just shoot it off the backside. That was my job on that play; I knew exactly what they were running.”
The run game may be a work in progress, but Gill-Howard’s quickest route to playing time is as a situational pass rusher. And by all accounts, he’s putting in the work, effort, and production to find his way onto the field early in the 2026 season.
“He knows who he is and he knows how he has to play,” Campbell said. “And he plays with pride in everything, and he’s crafty, he’s explosive, and he’s violent.”
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