Lions trade up to take Alabama WR Jameson Williams No. 12 overall
Jameson Williams now has a new team for the second time in less than a calendar year. On Thursday night, the former Alabama wide receiver was selected by the Detroit Lions with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. In fact, the franchise traded all the way up from No. 32 to get him.
The time Alabama got with Williams was short, but he made every second in Tuscaloosa worth it. After transferring from Ohio State after two seasons in Columbus, the 2019 top-100 prospect had a breakout season with the Crimson Tide in 2021.
He started all 15 games for Alabama this season, including the national title game against Georgia when he suffered that season-ending knee injury in the second quarter. In his 832 snaps, Williams brought in 79 receptions for a team-leading 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns.
That success led him to be the runner-up for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver. A lot of people — myself included — felt like he should’ve won the award.
Earlier on Thursday, Nick Saban joined the crew over at First Take for an appearance on ESPN. During that interview, the seven-time national championship-winning head coach revealed what Williams meant to the Alabama program this past season.
“He’s got great speed, and I think he’s a guy that can really take the top off,” Saban said of his now-former star wide receiver. “He can do more than that because he’s got some catch-and-run ability. But I really love Jameson. He added so much to our program.”
Williams is now the fifth Alabama receiver to get taken in the first round in just the last three seasons alone.
- Jameson Williams (2022) – Lions (No. 12 overall)
- Jaylen Waddle (2021) – Dolphins (No. 6 overall)
- DeVonta Smith (2021) – Eagles (No. 10 overall)
- Henry Ruggs III (2020) – Raiders (No. 12 overall)
- Jerry Jeudy (2020) – Broncos (No. 15 overall)
He’s also the eighth first-round receiver of the Saban era, dating back to 2007.
Coming out of high school, Williams was a four-star prospect who was rated as the nation’s No. 87 overall player, No. 15 wide receiver and No. 1 player from the state of Missouri, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.
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