Detroit Lions draft trade grade: Jameson Williams deal

After their bold move up to the 12th overall pick, what grade do the Detroit Lions get for the Jameson Williams deal?

After taking Aidan Hutchinson second overall on Thursday night, the Detroit Lions made a big trade to move up from No. 32 to No, 12 in a deal with the division rival Minnesota Vikings. With that pick, Detroit selected wide receiver Jameson Williams.

In the deal to move up 20 spots in the first round, the Lions gave up the No. 32, No. 34 and No. 66 picks while also acquiring Minnesota’s second-rounder at No. 46.

In doing that bold move up, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes reduced his pick count on Day 2 of the draft from three to two and the Lions now have four of the top 100 selections.

Detroit Lions draft trade grade: Moving up for Jameson Williams

Leaning into the well-known draft pick trade value charts, here’s how the Lions-Vikings deal looks.

Jimmy Johnson Chart: To Lions: No. 12 (1,200 points), No. 46 (440)=1,640 points
To Vikings: No. 32 (590 points), No, 34 (560), No. 66 (260)=1,410 points

Rich Hill Chart: To Lions: No. 12 (347 points), No. 46 (128)=475 points
To Vikings: No. 32 (184 points), No. 34 (175), No. 66 (76)=435 points

So the Lions won the deal based on both value charts, and decisively based on the classic Jimmy Johnson chart. For some perspective, the 230-point difference the Lions acquired is the value of the 72nd overall pick on that chart.

On the Rich Hill chart, the difference of 40 points the Lions received is equivalent to the value of the 95th overall pick.

Of course, even though he’s coming off a torn ACL in January’s national championship game, the Lions got perhaps the best wide receiver in this draft in Williams. He probably won’t be on the field Week 1 of his rookie season, eight months removed from the injury, but the move was done with an eye toward the future.

Time will tell if the Lions were right to make such a bold move for Williams, but the accepted trade pick values align in their favor. For what it’s worth, the Vikings took Georgia safety Lewis Cine with the 32nd overall pick from the Lions to wrap up the first round.

Here’s my instant grade for the Lions in the Jameson Williams deal.

Detroit Lions Trade Grade: B+