ALLEN PARK, Mich. — About an hour after selecting Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick of the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions swung a huge deal to move up 20 spots from the final pick of the opening round to snag Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams.
To acquire the No. 12 choice from the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions sent their division rival three selections — No. 32, No. 34 and No. 66. Detroit is also getting back Minnesota's second-rounder, No. 46, in the swap.
Williams, considered one of college football's lethal playmakers with the ball in his hand, is currently recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in the National Championship game in early January. Prior to suffering the injury, he had caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games.
Recent reports have indicated Williams is ahead of the curve with his rehab, as he's already running sprints and doing some agility drills.
A four-star recruit out of St. Louis, Williams initially committed to Ohio State where he spent his first two seasons. But he struggled to earn playing time during that stretch due to the Buckeyes crowded depth chart. His former teammates at Ohio State, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, were drafted the two slots before Williams came off the board to the Lions.
In Detroit, Williams joins a room headed by Amon-Ra St. Brown, who set the franchise's rookie records for receptions and receiving yards last season, and former Pro Bowler DJ Chark, who was signed as a free agent this offseason.
