Detroit Lions Draft 2017: Prospects Who May Fall To The 21st Pick

Mike Williams: WR, Clemson

Williams is the best wide receiver in the draft and it is not that close. He has been a productive receiver for one of the nation’s top programs. Williams has done that despite being the number one coverage focus of every defense he faced  during the 2016 season.

As the year went on, Corey Davis has drawn some interest as the number one receiver, and some teams will fall in love with the NFL combine record 4.22s performance of John Ross in the 40, but on film against top competition Williams is the better player by leaps and bounds. The debate between Williams and Ross strikes me as similar to the debates between Amari Cooper or Kevin White, and Darrius Heyward-Bey and Michael Crabtree. The more complete receiver is always a better choice than the faster receiver.

At his pro day Williams answered questions about his long speed, questions that honestly never should have been asked. When running up the field with a defensive back he is almost always gaining ground or separating. Williams has an odd little hitch at the beginning of his routes that he needs to remove from his game. From his third step on, he is the best receiver in college football.

If Williams learns to engage defenders rather than trying to juke himself open off the line he will be a pro bowler. That is a small change that requires only the player’s will to do so. Williams is pro ready, and not likely to be phased by a bigger stage. He immediately makes any team’s offense better than it was.

Golden Tate is a free agent in 2019, and it is unlikely that he is going to take a hometown discount to stay. He has already passed up the opportunity to do so once in Seattle. He has been the Lions most productive receiver since he came to Detroit, but is not making number one receiver money.

Marvin Jones disappointed slightly in his first season with the team, and appears to be a much better third receiver than second. Taking some of the responsibility off his plate and allowing him to work in the spaces created by other players could lead to more of what we saw in the first eight games from Jones, and less of what we saw in the last eight games. If not it is difficult to imagine the Lions continuing to pay more than $8 million per year to a player getting fewer than 60 catches per year.

Williams immediately fills Anquan Boldin’s role in the offense from the day he signs a contract. He does so for less money than would be required to bring Boldin back, and with a much less limiting level of athleticism.