What college did Justin Watson go to?

One of the most important areas on the field of a gridiron football game is that of a wide receiver. Wide receivers need to possess several skills such as safe hands, exceptional route running, ability to contest the 50-50 balls, speed, and more. Thus, making it to the NFL as a receiver is not the easiest job at hand, something that the Kansas City Chiefs wideout, Justin Watson can allude to.

Watson, a six-year veteran in the league as of February 2024, is struggling to get more game time as he is still on the developmental path. Having said that, there are a few aspects of his game that do stand out. He has natural speed which means he is used quite a few times for the deep ball.

He has a well-balanced and muscular frame and great size for a wide receiver standing at a height of 6 feet 2 inches. The physical attributes are all there as he set a 4.4 seconds 40-time at his Pro Day and had a vertical leap of 40”, but it is the consistency and ability to get separation from defenders that he needs to improve upon.

Justin Watson College

After coming out of high school, Watson didn’t start receiving scholarship offers from colleges until he had already committed to join the University of Pennsylvania. As a result, he decided to continue studying in his hometown university and played four years on the Pennsylvania Quakers football team.

Watson got off to a great start in 2014 featuring in 10 games in his freshman year, though he was given a lesser role behind senior receivers. With 42 receptions and 497 receiving yards, he set freshman receiving records at Pennsylvania. Both his receptions and receiving yards were good enough for third place for the Quakers that year.

In 2015, Watson continued to dominate and had an amazing year as he led the Ivy League in three major receiving categories with 74 catches for 1,082 receiving yards, and 9 receiving touchdowns. Moreover, he also rushed for 154 yards from 10 carries and added 1 rushing touchdown. This was also his first year of being named First-Team All-Ivy League. He also finished as the runner-up for the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2016, his junior year, Watson once again made the First-Team All-Ivy League. Once again he led the Ivy League in receiving yards with 1,115 yards, receptions with 89, and receiving touchdowns with 8.

Watson’s senior year saw him being named to his third First-Team All-Ivy League and continued to display great performances on the field. He finished his last year in college with 81 catches for 1,083 receiving yards and his personal best of 14 receiving touchdowns.

Justin Watson High School

Watson, who is a native of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, went to South Fayette High School in Pennsylvania. He was a multi-sport athlete playing on the school’s football and basketball teams where he became captain of both teams in his senior year.

As for football, the Chiefs’ wideout had 1,568 receiving yards and 22 receiving touchdowns in 2013 which was a league record. He ended up lettering three years in high school football as well as basketball.

Justin Watson Draft

The Pennsylvania native belongs to the 2018 NFL Draft class where Watson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round with pick number 144. The 2018 NFL Draft had 33 wide receivers selected in seven rounds. Watson was the 16th receiver to be selected with D.J. Moore, Calvin Ridley, and Courtland Sutton being the top wide receivers taken in the draft.

The 2018 draft also has some very good players playing exceptional football such as quarterbacks - Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, linebackers - Roquan Smith, and Fred Warner, tight end Mark Andrews, safeties - Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derwin James, Jessie Bates, and others.