2013 NFL Draft: Lions host Michael Williams for visit

The Detroit Lions continued their series of pre-draft visits on Thursday by playing host to Alabama tight end Michael Williams. He is the first tight end to take a pre-draft visit with the Lions so far this year, and he is the seventh player overall who is known to have visited Detroit in advance of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Williams, who was a member of the Lions-coached South team in the Senior Bowl, played for Alabama from 2009-12. He was seemingly known more for his blocking than his receiving, but he still put up respectable numbers as a member of the Crimson Tide:

2009: 3 catches, 29 yards, 0 TD
2010: 8 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD
2011: 16 catches, 191 yards, 2 TD
2012: 24 catches, 183 yards, 4 TD

Given that the Lions haven't re-signed Will Heller, Williams could be someone they target in the draft to be their new third tight end. Heller was more of a blocking tight end than a receiver for the Lions, and Williams seems to fit that role. Check out what he told the Lions' official site about being known as a blocker:

"People are going to mold you into a certain category when it comes to this process and that's the category they've put me in (blocking tight end) and I'm going to run with it," Williams told Detroitlions.com during his visit. "If they want me to be a blocking tight end, I'm going to be the best blocking tight end there is."

In all likelihood, the Lions will target a tight end on the third and final day of the draft. I could see them going after a tight end with their second-round pick if someone like Tyler Eifert or Zach Ertz falls that far, but that's probably unlikely.