To Jameson Williams, the question wasn't much of a question at all. So that's the way he answered it. Asked if he would have been the first receiver off the board Thursday night had he not torn his ACL in the national championship, Williams replied, "Uh, yeah."
"But there’s nothing I can do about that now," he went on. "I’m here in Detroit, 12th pick, I’m happy. Let’s do it, really. That’s all I gotta say."
Williams is a man of few words and one gear: Go. When his new teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown learned the Lions had traded up to draft the explosive Alabama receiver, his eyes were as wide as his smile: "That's gonna be dope," he said. "That's a huge pick for us."
The Lions have ingredients galore on offense. A rising star in the backfield in D'Andre Swift. Another in the slot in St. Brown. A Pro Bowler at tight end in T.J. Hockenson. Another at receiver in D.J. Chark. And, in theory, one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Williams was the home-run hitter the Lions were missing around Jared Goff, the game-breaker who will worry opposing coaches and players every week.
"I watched a lot of 'Bama games. Huge deep threat," said St. Brown. "I think it’s going to be a great fit for us, someone who can take the top off the defense. He didn’t run his 40 (because of the injury), but I don’t think he had to. You watch the tape, he’s fast. He gets the ball in his hands, no one’s touching him."
Williams, a unanimous All-American last season who finished second in the country in yards per catch, was somewhat surprised to be drafted by Detroit. He said he "really didn't have much" contact with the Lions before the draft. That didn't stop GM Brad Holmes from dealing picks Nos. 32 and 34 to the Vikings for the right to draft Williams No. 12 after three receivers had gone in the prior four picks.
"It just showed me that I was a wanted player on their roster, that I’m going to have a chance to make a big impact," said Williams. "Obviously they took a chance on me, they have faith that we can do big things. I’m just here to show my playmaking ability so we can (turn) things around."
Williams underwent knee surgery shortly after Alabama's loss to Georgia in the national championship. He said at his pro day last month that he was "ahead of schedule” in his recovery and said Thursday that he's "pushing to be ready for training camp." Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is already smiling at the thought of a healthy Williams in Detroit's passing attack.
Somewhere, so is Goff.
"We talked about finding someone on the outside that can dictate coverage. Shoot, he checks that box," Johnson said Thursday night. "Teams will realize when he’s on the field. He has that kind of game-changing ability. He can stretch the field deep without any sweat, he is electric, he’s got juice. Once he gets healthy, we're going to have something to cook with. It’s going to be fun."