Lions' Jameson Williams Put on NFI List; Reportedly Targeting Midseason Return

The Detroit Lions have placed Jameson Williams on the reserve/non-football injury list Tuesday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft will be unavailable to begin the year after suffering a torn ACL in last year's college football national championship game while at Alabama.

Detroit hopes Williams will be available to play around midseason, according to Pelissero.

The wideout told James Palmer of NFL Network prior to the draft that he was expecting to be fully cleared before training camp. In May, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported most executives predicted October as the "sweet spot for his return," with November also a possibility.

It's clear the Lions will remain patient with the 21-year-old as they prioritize his long-term outlook over an early return.

Williams was one of college football's breakout stars after transferring from Ohio State to Alabama. He tallied 79 catches for 1,572 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games as the leading receiver for the national runner-ups.

It came after catching just 15 passes across two seasons with the Buckeyes.

The 6'2" receiver also displayed his dynamic ability on special teams, averaging 35.2 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns.

Even with the injury, the Lions saw enough to trade up 20 spots from No. 32 to make Williams the fourth receiver off the board in April. When he does get on the field, he will join an exciting offense featuring young playmakers D'Andre Swift and Amon-Ra St. Brown.