Jameson Williams is apparently making good progress is his recovery from an ACL tear, and the Lions rookie receiver is optimistic he’ll be ready for training camp.
The Detroit Lions identified Jameson Williams as someone they wanted, and as general manager Brad Holmes said they decided to “go get him” by trading up to the 12th overall pick.
If not for suffering a torn ACL in Alabama’s national title game loss to Georgia, Williams might have been the first wide receiver taken in this draft. Even with recent indications he’s making good progress in his recovery and he might not miss much regular season time, drafting Williams is a multi-year play for the Lions.
Williams had his introductory press conference on Friday. He spoke about his recovery, now about 13 weeks after surgery, and he’s optimistic.
“I was hearing five-to-seven months,” “But I’m hearing I’m ahead of schedule. Like I said, I’ve been walking without the brace for a few weeks. So I hope things keep going on this track and I get back as soon as possible.”
“The timetable, I really don’t have one,” Williams said. “I’m pushing for being ready for training camp.”
“I’m 13 weeks from surgery. I’ve just been doing regular movements, getting back to it. But I should be ready to go by training camp,” “I’m shooting for training camp.”
Recovery time from a torn ACL is usually 6-12 months. Late-July is when training camp gets rolling, and that’d be on the early end of that window for Williams. His activity level would be the question, and it’s still unlikely he’d be fully ready to go for Week 1.
Jameson Williams is very confident in his speed
Williams of course was not able to do any running during the pre-draft process. But his game tape last season tells you how fast he is, and the torn ACL shouldn’t cost him much there.
If he had been able to run at the NFL Combine, Williams said he would have been “faster than the fastest 40 ran”. This year? Or ever?
“Ever,” he said.