Lions trade up, take ECU's Williams with No. 1 pick in CFL draft

The BC Lions selected East Carolina linebacker Jordan Williams with the first overall pick of the 2020 CFL Draft after trading up from No. 3 with the Calgary Stampeders.

BC sent the third and 12th selections to its West Division counterparts for the first and 15th choices.

Williams will head to the Lions after spending the last two years out of football. At East Carolina from 2014 to 2017, he posted 252 tackles, three sacks, and one interception.

His draft stock surged after an impressive showing at the regional combine, during which he wowed scouts with a 4.48-second run in the 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-8.5-inch broad jump. He also recorded 20 reps on the bench press.

The former Pirates standout is the first linebacker to go No. 1 overall since the Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened the 2011 draft with Henoc Muamba.

After moving down from the top spot, the Stampeders came away with defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund from Southeastern Louisiana. In between those picks, the Toronto Argonauts drafted Virginia wide receiver Dejon Brissett second overall.