Lions Host Wide Receivers Kaelin Clay, Tyrell Williams On Pre-Draft Visits
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - As the draft nears, the Detroit Lions continue to check out players who could add to the passing attack or bolster the return game. Monday the Lions hosted Kaelin Clay of Utah and Tyrell Williams of Western Oregon on pre-draft visits at Allen Park, the team announced on its website.
Michigan fans might remember Clay from his 66-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Wolverines last season, and college football fans in general may recall his face-palm-worthy drop at the end of a long pass play against Oregon that should have gone for a touchdown.
The former moment seems to be more indicative of what Clay is than the latter. He racked up 523 yards and four touchdowns as a wide receiver and also took four returns for touchdowns as a senior - three punts and a kickoff. At the NFL combine, Clay ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash.
Lions special teams coordinator Joe Marciano has said he wants some competition in the return game for incumbent Jeremy Ross, who played a bigger role in the offense in 2014 but saw his punt return average - with more opportunities - drop from 15.5 yards in 2013 to 8.9 yards last season. A player like Clay could provide the desired competition.
Williams, on the other hand, appears to specialize in receiving, not having taken any returns last season, but he did rack up 950 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 56 catches in 10 games.
