Detroit Lions sign rookie offensive tackle to practice squad

After losing linebacker Jarrad Davis from the practice squad earlier in the week when he signed with the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions have filled that vacated spot with a player on the other side of the ball. The Lions announced on Thursday afternoon that undrafted rookie offensive lineman Jarrid Williams has signed to the practice squad.

Williams signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after not hearing his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft, and although he did not make the initial 53-man roster, he did hang around on the practice squad for a couple of months before landing on the practice squad injured reserve list and eventually getting waived back on November 22.

Prior to his professional career, Williams split his college career first with the University of Houston before transferring to the University of Miami for the last two years of his eligibility. There he was the Hurricanes’ starting right tackle for two years and had a relatively successful career there:

Like most Eagles offensive linemen, Williams is long (36-inch arm length and 84.75-inch wingspan) and athletic (7.63 RAS score), with his most desirable trait being his lateral mobility. His 4.69-second short shuttle is above the league average and behind only Penei Sewell and Matt Nelson among the Lions current offensive tackles.

Williams is the second offensive lineman from the Eagles pipeline that they have signed this offseason—Kayode Awosika is the other—and he joins Obinna Eze as two developmental pieces on the Lions offensive line.