Through OC Johnson's hard coaching, Lions' rookie Williams learned 'the standard' that led to roster spot

Allen Park — For Detroit Lions rookie receiver Isaiah Williams, his “Welcome to the NFL” moment happened his first weekend in the building.

A converted quarterback who paced the Big Ten with 164 catches across the past two seasons, Williams arrived in Detroit eager to prove his abilities played at the next level. But seemingly every snap during rookie minicamp in early May, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson laid into Williams, hammering the player on a steady stream of alignment and assignment miscues.

It was a rude awakening for a two-time captain for the University of Illinois, who was coming off a first-team all-conference season.

“Damn, when I first got here, man, I was getting snapped at like every single play,” Williams recalled. “I was like, 'Man, I just learned these plays.'“