NFL Draft 2022 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
What a difference a year makes. During the 2021 draft, Lions GM Brad Holmes — rather tongue-in-cheek — said that the Amon-Ra St. Brown pick might “get people off my ass” about not being aggressive enough at receiver. On Thursday night, Holmes threw an absolute haymaker to go get Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams. The Lions dealt picks 32, 34 and 66 within the division to Minnesota, for Nos. 12 and 46.
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It’s a huge move, but, value-wise, also a rather smooth one from Holmes. The Lions were able to hang on to a second-round pick, still have a third-round pick at No. 97 and didn’t have to cough up anything in 2023, all while moving up 20 spots. And, with it, they landed an absolutely dynamic big-play receiver.
The rub (and, perhaps, why Williams was the fourth receiver off the board) is that he’s coming back from an ACL injury. Williams said Thursday night that he doesn’t have a firm timetable on his recovery, but all reports about his progress thus far have been promising. The Lions — still rebuilding and with a nice receiver group in tow — have the luxury of letting him take his time coming back.
Draft grades: Sheil Kapadia weighs in on the picks
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Big board ranking: Williams is ranked No. 13 on Dane Brugler’s Top 300 board. Even with that injury, Williams was Brugler’s second-highest receiver, behind only Garrett Wilson (No. 10 overall).
Introduction: Quick primer on Williams from our Aaron Settles:
Williams was brought to Alabama as a transfer from Ohio State after last spring because of that speed, and he definitely didn’t disappoint in that regard. But he also showed more of an all-around game than was anticipated. That doesn’t mean he’s the best route runner in this draft or even the most well-rounded, just that he has a varied skill set.
Still, there’s no question that speed is the first thing that comes to mind. He showed it from his first game with the Crimson Tide, and he finished his lone season in Tuscaloosa with 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns with an average of 19.9 yards per catch, becoming a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top wide receiver. He was also a valuable special teams players, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns early in the season against Southern Miss.
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How he fits: The Lions have talked about finding a true X receiver, and the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Williams might not fall under that prototype. But, at the combine, new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had this to say about the X-receiver spot: “I think it comes in a number of shapes and forms. But I think the definition of it really is, as you said, a guy who can consistently win one-on-one. Whether that’s a big guy, with a lot of strength and size, or whether that’s a guy with elite quickness or speed, I think it comes a number of different ways.
“But that’s what we’re looking for, is someone that outside the numbers, predominantly, can win a one-on-one. And if he’s good at his job, dictates coverage.”
When healthy, Williams will force defenses to account for him with a lockdown corner or over-the-top safety help. Per Pro Football Focus, Williams accounted for 671 deep yards at Alabama last season (fifth-most in college football) and 9.3 yards after the catch per reception (fourth-most). Williams set the Crimson Tide single-season record with four TDs of 70-plus yards. He averaged a staggering 19.9 yards per catch, on 79 grabs, and scored 15 times prior to his injury.
Second guess? Given the trade up, it was natural to think that the Lions might be pursuing their QB of choice — probably Malik Willis, in that range. The other intriguing name on the board there was Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. He landed at No. 14, with Baltimore, but the Lions wouldn’t have heard any criticism had they gone up for him.
Rookie impact: It all depends on the recovery timeline. Williams injured his ACL on a non-contact play during the national-title game in January. In March, at the combine, Williams — six weeks out of surgery at the time — said he was “hearing I’m ahead of schedule” on a five- to seven-month timeline.
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Even at the back end of that seven months, Williams might have a shot to rejoin activities in full sometime in August and target a September or October debut. But the Lions don’t need to rush him — DJ Chark, St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Quintez Cephus and Kalif Raymond are all still here.
Depth-chart impact: St. Brown immediately tweeted out praise for the pick, no doubt dreaming of what it might mean for him underneath once Williams is drawing defenses’ attention deep. Eventually, the addition could impact a guy like Cephus, who will probably have to win a roster job again in camp, or Raymond.
Long-term, the Lions now have what could be an incredible 1-2 punch of Williams and St. Brown, plus they have Reynolds locked up for another season and could consider retaining Chark beyond 2022. This position was a complete mess 12 months ago. It’s now looking both explosive and deep.
Fast evaluation: The Lions said that when they fell in love with a quarterback, whatever year it happened, they’d make a move. Holmes, though, in two drafts has shown a definite willingness to go after a prospect the Lions love. They’ll have to readjust their expectations for the remainder of the 2022 class, after swapping three picks for two, but they did well to get the value they did. This wasn’t an outlandish amount to trade, especially for a receiver who could be among the most dangerous in the NFL.
(Photo: David Becker / Getty Images)
