Detroit Lions

Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams' recovery from a torn ACL is likely going to prevent him from taking part in training camp with the Detroit Lions.

Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Thursday that he doesn't see Williams "being ready for training camp" and that they won't rush him back before he's at full strength.

Williams tore his ACL in the second quarter of Alabama's 33-18 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff Championship on Jan. 10.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported at the time that doctors believed Williams will be able to retain the speed he had before the injury after undergoing surgery. The 21-year-old had the procedure on Jan. 18.

Speaking to NFL Network's James Palmer on March 30, Williams said he is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab and he's expecting to be fully cleared before the start of training camp.

The Lions had no concerns about Williams' ability to make a full recovery. They traded up with the Minnesota Vikings to get the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NFL draft that they used to select the Alabama star.

Last season was Williams' first year at the University of Alabama. He transferred to the Crimson Tide after spending the previous two years at Ohio State.

Williams struggled to get on the field with the Buckeyes playing behind Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were also first-round picks in this year's draft. He had a breakout 2021 at Alabama with 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games.

The Missouri native was named to the All-SEC and All-America first teams.

Thursday marks the final day of mandatory minicamp for the Lions. Training camp will begin in late July, though the team has yet to announce an official start date.

Detroit Lions first-round pick Jameson Williams is recovering from a torn ACL, and his status for the 2022 season remains in question. But it appears likely that the young wide receiver will make an appearance at some point during his rookie campaign. 

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler: "Most execs I spoke to believe October is the sweet spot for his return from a torn ACL, maybe November. Williams told reporters he'll be ready for training camp, which he very well could be. His recovery is going smoothly. But Detroit will likely ramp up his activity slowly until he is completely ready."

Williams, 21, tore his ACL in January's College Football Playoff Championship, a 33-18 win for Georgia over Alabama. 

It followed a superb season, as Williams posted 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, emerging as one of college football's most explosive weapons. It was his lone season at Alabama after transferring from Ohio State, where he found himself buried on a deep wide receiver depth chart behind players like Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. 

Somewhat fittingly, Wilson (No. 10 overall to the New York Jets) and Olave (No. 11 overall to the New Orleans Saints) were selected right before the Lions traded up to take Williams at No. 12, after they had already selected Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchison with the No. 2 overall pick.

Perhaps without the ACL injury, Williams might have been the top receiver off the board. Regardless, he sounded happy to land in Detroit. 

 "I'm looking forward to it, for real," he said last week on Complex Sports Live. "Football, it's what I do. ... They traded up for a reason, trusted me and my playmaking ability. We're gonna put everything together after my rehab and we're gonna show the world."

Suddenly, the Lions have an intriguing collection of weapons for quarterback Jared Goff, with Williams joining Amon-Ra St. Brown, T.J. Hockenson and D.J. Chark in the passing game.

But Williams will add a level of explosiveness the others don't possess, however, which likely played the biggest part in Lions general manager Brad Holmes pulling the trigger to move up and select him. 

"With Jameson, specifically, he was a guy where there was total buy-in, total conviction," he said. "I was just in love with him. I said, 'Look, this is a guy that we want to get and I think he can be a game-changer for us.'"

The question remains precisely when he can serve as that game-changer. For now, at least, it sounds like Williams will indeed be suiting up for the Lions at some point in the 2022 season. 

The Detroit Lions and New York Jets "stood out" among the 2022 NFL draft classes, according to ESPN's Todd McShay.

The draft expert released his roundup of favorite picks following the conclusion of the festivities in Las Vegas, giving the Jets plaudits for trading back into the first round to grab defensive end Jermaine Johnson II and the Lions for their bold move up to No. 12 to select wideout Jameson Williams.

The Jets traded picks Nos. 35, 69 and 163 to the Tennessee Titans for Nos. 26 and 101, grabbing Johnson after he surprisingly fell down the draft board. The Florida State product was considered one of the most complete pass-rushers in this class after taking home the 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award.

"It feels amazing, man. The journey was so long and hard, but it was so rewarding at the same time," Johnson said after being drafted. "And to be able to be selected in the first round, and by the Jets, I'm so excited. When I visited with the Jets, it was a family feel. We clicked instantly. They said they'd come and get me and that's what they did."

The Lions' move was even bolder, using picks Nos. 32, 34 and 66 to nab picks Nos. 12 and 46, taking Wiliams in the process. Williams likely would have been the first receiver off the board if he weren't dealing with an ACL tear that makes it unlikely he's 100 percent healthy for Week 1.

The Alabama product racked up 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, becoming one of college football's most feared deep threats. He'll join a Lions offense that already boasts promising underneath threat Amon-Ra St. Brown, a solid tight end in T.J. Hockenson and an explosive young running back in D'Andre Swift.

While quarterback is still a long-term question mark, Detroit has the makings of a solid young offense moving forward.

The Detroit Lions drafted Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday in Las Vegas. 

Williams becomes the third Alabama wide receiver in the last two years selected in the first round of the draft, joining 2021 first-rounders Jaylen Waddle, who was selected by the Miami Dolphins, and DeVonta Smith, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Williams enters the NFL after just one standout season with the Crimson Tide. The 20-year-old caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games as a junior. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes, catching a total of 15 passes for 266 yards and three scores in 10 games. 

Here is what the Lions' depth chart will look like following the addition of Williams, who will surely slot in as one of their top receivers. 

QB: Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough

RB: D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Craig Reynolds

FB: Jason Cabinda

WR 1: D.J. Chark

WR 2: Jameson Williams, Josh Reynolds

WR 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, Quintez Cephus

TE: T.J. Hockenson, Garrett Griffin, Brock Wright, Jared Pinkney 

LT: Taylor Decker, Matt Nelson

LG: Jonah Jackson, Logan Stenberg

C: Frank Ragnow, Evan Brown, Ryan McCollum

RG: Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Tommy Kraemer

RT: Penei Sewell, Dan Skipper

After an impressive junior season at Alabama, it will be interesting to see how Williams produces at the NFL level, especially considering the fact he's coming off a torn ACL suffered in the National Championship Game against Georgia in January. 

Following the Senior Bowl, Bleacher Report's Scouting Department listed Williams as the third-best wide receiver in the draft behind USC's Drake London and Ohio State's Chris Olave. 

B/R's Scouting Department also compared Williams to veteran wide receiver DeSean Jackson, saying this about him:

"Overall, Williams will be an immediate weapon for any NFL offense due to his speed and explosiveness and will walk into the league as one of its fastest and most dangerous players. He has more polish to his game that will allow him to do "true" WR things and will make him more than a one-trick pony, but he will need to continue to refine his technique to have answers against more physical cornerbacks."

If Williams can produce at a similar level as Waddle and Smith did during their rookie seasons, it'll be a great start to his NFL career. 

Detroit has badly needed a true No. 1 wideout ever since Calvin Johnson. Kenny Golladay showed flashes but didn't fill that role.

For now, the Lions don't have their next franchise quarterback to succeed Matthew Stafford, and this wasn't a great draft to go searching for one. In Williams, they at least identified a possible cornerstone of the passing game.

After finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting and helping Michigan reach the College Football Playoff, the next stop in Aidan Hutchinson's football journey will take him to the Detroit Lions.

The Lions selected Hutchinson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday. 

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Michigan has had at least one player drafted in the first round. It's the second straight year a Wolverines defensive lineman has gone in the first 32 picks (Kwity Paye went No. 21 to the Indianapolis Colts in 2021). 

Hutchinson is coming to the NFL after a career year in college. He recorded 16.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in 14 games during the 2021 season. 

Here is what the Lions' depth chart looks like with the addition of Hutchinson on the defensive line: 

LDE: Michael Brockers, Romeo Okwara, Austin Bryant

DT: Alim McNeill, John Penisini, Jashon Cornell

DT: Levi Onwuzurike, Bruce Hector, Eric Banks

RDE: Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris, Julian Okwara, Rashod Berry

LB: Alex Anzalone, Jarrad Davis, Josh Woods, Tavante Beckett

LB: Derrick Barnes, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Chris Board, Anthony Pittman

CB: Amani Oruwariye, Mike Hughes, Mark Gilbert

CB: Jerry Jacobs, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Bobby Price

Nickel CB: Jeff Okudah, A.J. Parker

FS: Will Harris, C.J. Moore, JuJu Hughes

SS: Tracy Walker, Brady Breeze, Jalen Elliott

Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over the Cap.

Following a high level of production in college, expectations are going to be huge for Hutchinson coming into the NFL. 

B/R's NFL scouting department has Hutchinson ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the 2022 class and third among edge defenders, behind Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux and Purdue's George Karlaftis. 

B/R scout Derrik Klassen compared Hutchinson's skill set to Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.

"Hutchinson has great size for the position and clears the bar for most athletic traits. He possesses good explosiveness along with moments of overwhelming strength, particularly when he can get a head of steam as a pass-rusher. While his bend is lacking, his speed, technique and functional length all help make up for his non-elite flexibility. Hutchinson should still be able to win consistently as a power rusher with strong hands and a mean inside counter."

In this era of football, where passing is the dominant form of offense, an edge rusher who can consistently put pressure on the opposing quarterback is a necessity. 

A prime example is the difference Trey Hendrickson made for the Cincinnati Bengals defense in 2021. He signed with the team as a free agent, then set career-highs with 27 quarterback hits and 14 sacks during the regular season. 

Hutchinson on his own won't make Detroit a Super Bowl team like the Bengals were in 2021, but his talent makes him a potential foundation piece for a championship-caliber defense in the future. 

Few mock draft pairings made more sense than Hutchinson going to the Lions. In addition to his connection with the state of Michigan, head coach Dan Campbell seems like the right person to get the most out of his talents. 

Campbell brings an old-school attitude to the Lions. They aren't ready to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC, but there were plenty of games last season when they were more competitive against quality opponents than they should have been. 

The Lions are still in the early stages of their rebuilding process. They did fare well with last year's class, led by Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown as two building blocks. 

Hutchinson should be the next member of that group. He's not quite at the level of recent high-end defensive-end draft picks like Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett, but he's got excellent traits to be an impact player immediately. 

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said a player used to come to practice drunk during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins.

“He was a dynamic football player, but he came in every day just reeking of alcohol," Campbell said of the player. "He was probably on a bender for who knows how long, but god he loved football. He showed up, he didn’t have any M.A.'s [missed assignments], he hustled non-stop, and it’s like, you know what? You’ll find a way to make that guy work.

"Not saying we want those guys, but he loved ball, and he had success. And he's still playing today, by the way."

Campbell was on the Dolphins as an assistant and interim head coach from 2010 to 2015. The fact his tenure was so long ago and the player continues to be active narrows the number of players he could possibly be speaking about. 

Campbell did not identify the player. 

The idea of allowing a drunk player to take the field is dangerously negligent. While Campbell noted the player did not make any mistakes practicing drunk, coaches allowing someone to play a contact sport while under the influence of alcohol put every other player on the field at an unnecessary risk.

It's something that should not have happened and probably not something Campbell should have publicly admitted.