Allen Park — It was not long after the Detroit Lions selected Jameson Williams out of Alabama when general Brad Holmes thought to make a point about the man he aggressively acquired by trading up for the No. 12 pick.
He did not move up to draft a wide receiver. He moved up to draft Jameson Williams.
And perhaps, by now, you at least partially know what he means by that. Nevermind the 41-yard touchdown catch that kicked off the scoring for Detroit in a 34-23 win over Minnesota this past Sunday, the highlight making its rounds on social media — and drawing love from teammates — doesn’t see the ball touch Williams’ hands. Instead, he sprints off his line to hammer Vikings (and former Michigan Wolverines) safety Josh Metellus, springing Justin Jackson for a fourth-quarter, winning touchdown.
“It was just another play,” Williams said at his locker Thursday.
The Lions receiver room takes a lot of pride in run blocking. It’s been a story line for most, if not the entire, season. Second-year receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has even drawn comparisons to legendary blocking receiver and Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Famer Hines Ward for his simple yet intense desire to push other men backward.
So you know that St. Brown not only was pumped to see Williams make the play, but also his enthusiasm for committing such a hardcore act of football — even if he is still having to correct him on some of the room’s terminology.
“It was super dope. We didn’t see it on the sideline … but Jamo kinda came on the sideline after the play and said, ‘I whacked the dude,’” St. Brown recalled. “I was like, ‘I’m gonna have to see it. I gotta see it on film.’ He said, ‘I knocked him down.’ I was like, ‘Ah, I don’t think you did’ — ’cause you know, if you get a knockdown, it’s a big award in our room.
“So he was close to a knockdown, but it was amazing. I loved the block. I was super excited.”
If you’ve seen any tape from Williams playing gunner in college, nothing about the way he ambitiously picked off Metellus for a game-defining block should surprise you. It didn’t surprise Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Jameson Williams is a football player.
“That’s what he’s got in him,” Campbell said. “He’s not afraid to do that stuff.”
Wilson ‘real deal’
Speaking of high-level rookie receivers who once played at Ohio State, the man presumed to give Detroit’s defense fits in the pass game — especially after the Lions allowed Justin Jefferson to set a single-game franchise record 223 receiving yards last week — is Garrett Wilson.
Wilson’s 868 receiving yards trail only fellow Buckeye Chris Olave (887) and is already a Jets rookie record. His season totals are impressive, but even more so when you consider that he had just 314 yards through his first seven games. In the six games since — a majority of which have come with Mike White at quarterback — he’s averaging 5.8 catches and 92.3 yards.
“Wilson’s the real deal. He’s a really good player,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “The Jets did a good job of identifying that player, and I think on a number of levels, I would say that he’s a good player because he breaks tackles like one of the better receivers I’ve seen this year. … He’s tough, he’s taking some hits now, and he’ll get back up. And he will reach out and go after the ball, so 50/50 balls, man, you have to be on your P’s and Q’s to be able to defend that player because he’s a hard cover.”
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‘Big grass stain guy’
The Lions love their home-field advantage and the raucous environment provided by their domed stadium. But if Campbell is being honest, there’s just something about the idea of going outdoors with your back against the wall that just tickles his football soul.
“The only thing that you wish is it was grass, because I love the grass stains. I’m a big grass stains guy. I just think it looks great,” Campbell said. “But yeah, I think there’s something about playing in the elements. It’s December. Certainly, if you get them in January, and it’s just nasty, and it won’t be quite that way out there, but I do think it adds to everything.
“I don’t know. It’s fun. That’s the way it was — that’s how it began. I don’t know.”
The Lions have already had success at MetLife Stadium this season. Detroit beat the Giants, 31-18, in Week 11.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi