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Colts 2022 Draft Interviews: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Meet North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson. We talked about his decision to go the FCS route, his dominance at the Reese's Senior Bowl, and why he's the draft's best kept secret.

Zach Hicks

Christian Watson is a former two star recruit out of Plant High School in Tampa, Florida. He didn't generate much interest out of high school, but was able to receive an offer from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.

I asked him about that process and how he ended up at NDSU:

North Dakota State was my only offer coming out of high school. I was a late bloomer and I really didn't grow or shoot up early in my high school career. I didn't play much until the end of junior year.

Senior year was big for me, and North Dakota State put their trust in me early on. I made the commitment and stuck with it.

Watson stepped in and became a star player for one of the best football schools in the country. He leaves North Dakota State as a four time National Champion, three of which featured him in a prominent role in the offense (and on special teams).

I asked Watson which of those championships was the most special or most memorable to him:

I'm incredibly grateful to have been a part of a program with so much success. I don't know if I'd be able to pinpoint one that I enjoyed more than the others. It is a surreal experience every time you are up on that stage after winning the National Championship.

I would say, collectively, all of them. It was an incredible experience each and every time and I don't think that I could just choose one.

Watson finished his career with 105 catches for 2,140 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. His 20.4 yards per reception finished as one of the highest career marks in the country.

He also rushed the ball 49 times for 392 yards and two touchdowns. He made his mark as a return man as well, scoring two touchdowns as a kick returner in his NDSU tenure.

Senior Bowl Dominance

Despite all of his success in college, Watson was nearly left off of the Reese's Senior Bowl roster. He was set on going out to Las Vegas to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but quickly changed course once the Senior Bowl called.

Once the week of practices started, Watson quickly established himself as one of the best players at the event. In almost every "Winners" article posted after the week, he was the headlining player. He simply dominated each and every day.

I asked him about his Senior Bowl experience and how it felt to be a late add that tore up the event:

It was an amazing opportunity to go out there and be able to compete against the best of the best. Going into it, I wanted to showcase that I was one of the best of the best.

It was an opportunity for me to prove that I belong. I, obviously, don't want to just prove that I belong, but I want to stand out as well. I think I was able to accomplish that.

Return Ability

Anybody that watches FCS football would absolutely say that Watson was one of the best overall receivers in the division over the past few seasons. What stood out to me, though, was his ability as a kick returner.

He had a ton of big, and clutch, kick returns in his college career at NDSU. I asked him about his ability in this area of the game:

It is something that I have always done. I did kick returning before I even played a ton in high school on offense as well. It is something that I have always enjoyed doing, and I think that it is something that pairs well with my skill set and my versatility.

If I get the ball in my hands, I'm gonna make a play. Obviously, at kick returner, this is just another opportunity with the ball in my hands. I just use what I bring to the table to continue to make plays. 

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Play Multiple Spots

Watson is a very interesting build as a receiver. He has the speed and deep play ability to be an outstanding Z receiver. He also has great size and strength to be a good X receiver. On top of that, his ability with the ball in his hands leads some to believe that he could be a great slot or gadget type player.

I asked Watson where he thinks his best fit is in the NFL:

I think that I am very versatile and that I can do it all. I don't think that I should be limited to just one position and  I am able to do all of those things that you mentioned.

I think that allows me to fit anywhere and in any offense. I'm looking forward to being able to showcase all of those things at the next level.

Route Running Improvement

One for the bigger questions for Watson this offseason has been his route running and how he separates against tougher competition. He seemingly quieted down those critiques at the Senior Bowl, when he showcased excellent feet and route running prowess all week.

I asked him about the work he has put in to improve his route running in his career:

Countless amount of hours putting work in to do extra stuff. I've just been trying to soak it all in. My role in our offense at NDSU wasn't always to run the intermediate routes and that is something that I still continue to focus on improving at.

Whether that is in practice or when I do get the opportunity in games, I put a lot of effort into fine tuning the routes. Even if it wasn't always showcased in my game at NDSU, it is something that I have always had in the arsenal.

It was great to be able to display that I can run these intermediate routes, and digs, and still create separation (at the Senior Bowl).

NFL Draft Outlook

I finished off the interview with the same way I finish all of them. I asked Watson how he would sell himself to a team this offseason. I asked him what my team would be getting, on and off the field, if they draft him:

In terms of what I bring to the table, just an elite level play-maker. A versatile receiver that can do it all.

I think that I am one of the best and I think I'll be able to showcase that at the next level.

Watson is one of the top receivers in this draft class, and for good reason. He is a special athlete that can make things happen with the ball in his hands.

Teams will have to overcome their anti-FCS bias in order to take a shot on him, but when they do, they will see a special play-maker. I really hope that he is a player that is on the Colts' radar come draft day.

Full Interview:

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Published
Zach Hicks
ZACH HICKS

Zach Hicks is the Lead Analyst for HorseshoeHuddle.com. Zach has been on the NFL beat since 2017. His works have appeared on SBNation.com, the Locked On Podcast Network, BleacherReport.com, MSN.com, & Yardbarker.com. 

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