DETROIT – The Detroit Lions traded up to select Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
The Lions received the No. 32 overall pick in this year’s draft as part of the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. They packaged that with No. 34 and No. 66 to trade with the Minnesota Vikings and move all the way up to No. 12.
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Detroit also received No. 46 overall -- a mid-second-round pick -- in the deal.
Williams made 79 catches this season for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns before tearing his ACL in the national championship game against Georgia.
Brad Holmes is looking to build off of last year’s draft class, when he added a host of talented players, from Penei Sewell to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Although the Lions finished the season with a dismal 3-13-1 record, they showed improvement late in the season, and a strong draft class would help continue that momentum.
He added one of the top prospects in the draft with the No. 2 overall pick, selecting Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who was long expected to be the top choice by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Williams gives the offense a dynamic target alongside St. Brown. He has the speed to blow by defenders and is one of the top home run receivers in the draft.
