Skyler Gill-Howard
Career Summary
Skyler Gill-Howard is a defensive lineman whose college route included Upper Iowa, Northern Illinois and Texas Tech.
Detroit selected him in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft.
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Early Life
Gill-Howard's pre-college athletic background included football and wrestling in Wisconsin.
He attended Greenfield High School, where his wrestling career included two state runner-up finishes.
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High School
Gill-Howard competed at Greenfield High School in Wisconsin.
The Lions' biography credits him with all-region and all-state football recognition and consecutive Division I state runner-up finishes in the 220-pound wrestling division as a junior and senior.
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College Career
Gill-Howard began at Upper Iowa in 2021 before transferring to Northern Illinois and Texas Tech.
He spent 2022–24 at Northern Illinois and joined Texas Tech for 2025. An injury ended his final season after six starts; he recorded 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a half-sack.
His 55-yard interception return for a touchdown against Kent State was a signature Texas Tech highlight.
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Path to the NFL
Detroit drafted Gill-Howard with the 205th overall pick in 2026.
He was the Lions' sixth-round selection out of Texas Tech and earned a place on their initial 53-man roster.
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NFL Career
Gill-Howard made his first regular-season appearance with Detroit in 2026.
The Lions' Week 1 statistics credit him with three combined tackles, including one solo stop, in their 31–30 win over New Orleans.
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Career Accomplishments
Gill-Howard earned recognition at both Northern Illinois and Texas Tech.
He received third-team All-MAC honors in 2024 and was Northern Illinois' Burlsworth Trophy nominee. Texas Tech credits him with the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award on September 8, 2025.
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Playing Style
Detroit valued Gill-Howard's quickness and ability to work against the run.
In a September 2026 team feature, general manager Brad Holmes highlighted his bend and hand usage and said his early NFL run defense had exceeded expectations.
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32410, 00-0041447, 10/13/2002, Skyler Gill-Howard, Skyler, Gill-Howard
MFT PLAYER RANKINGS
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2026 preseason baseline. Position-relative and updated through the site’s weekly review process.