Jameson Williams' first career NFL catch with Lions goes for touchdown vs. Vikings

Zac Al-Khateeb

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Jameson Williams' first career NFL catch with Lions goes for touchdown vs. Vikings image

Jameson Williams turned himself into a first-round draft pick at Alabama with his ability to get behind defenders en route to long gains — usually for touchdowns.

The Lions' rookie receiver, who missed the first 12 weeks of action with a torn ACL suffered in last season's College Football Playoff championship game, did it again vs. the Vikings on Sunday. Moreover, Jameson did it with his first career NFL catch to give Detroit a 7-0 lead:

Williams' first catch will officially go down as a 41-yard touchdown reception. While Williams' speed certainly makes him a deep threat for the Lions, his long touchdown was more a result of busted coverage by Minnesota — one that forced him to catch Jared Goff's pass as if he was fielding a punt. Not that takes anything away from Williams' first catch.

MORE: Why the 5-7 Lions are favored over the 10-2 Vikings in NFL Sunday Week 14 odds

The Lions have been patient with Williams, for whom they traded up to grab with the 12th overall pick despite his torn ACL. The first-year Lion was slated to play his first game in Week 13 as a gunner on punt team against the Jaguars. But he never saw the field, as Detroit never punted.

That meant Williams' first meaningful action came in Week 14 vs. the Vikings. And what a debut it was for Williams, whose touchdown generated feel-good reactions all across social media:

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.