Georgia On My Mind: Gainesville Native Deshaun Watson Could Land with Atlanta Falcons

Will Deshaun Watson's relationship with Arthur Blank land the Atlanta Falcons the three-time Pro-Bowl quarterback?

Houston Texans' quarterback Deshaun Watson could very well be in the NFC South next season. The Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints emerged as the top suitors to acquire Watson, but that has not prevented other teams from entering the sweepstakes.

According to ESPN, the Atlanta Falcons have arisen as a "sleeper team" to land Watson.

And now an NFL source tells FalconsSI: "The connection is real.''

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson

Monday evening, Watson held meetings with the Panthers and Saints. Watson met with the Browns on Tuesday, and the Falcons will meet with the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback on Wednesday in hopes of persuading Watson to waive his no-trade clause in their favor.

"I know Deshaun is an excellent football player — excellent football players need to be playing somewhere in the NFL," Texans' coach Lovie Smith said at the NFL Combine on March 2. "Hopefully, that will happen. If it's not with us, somewhere else.

"As I see in this situation, both of us are going to benefit from this situation, and I just can't wait for it to speed up a little bit."

As a native of Gainesville, Georgia, team owner Arthur Blank has admired Watson since his days working as a ball boy for the Falcons. The two developed a close relationship, and Blank will be in attendance during Wednesday's meeting in Houston.

Watson played four years at Gainesville High School, where he became a four-star recruit. 

During his high school career, Watson threw for 13,077 yards and 155 touchdowns with two trips to the state semifinals. He added to his stats by rushing for 4,057 yards and 63 touchdowns. After the Texans made Watson their top overall selection (No. 12 overall) during the 2017 NFL Draft, Watson has thrown for 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns while completing 67.8 percent of his pass attempts.

The Falcons will have to pay a hefty price to land Watson. Since he requested a trade in January of last year, Texans' general manager Nick Caserio is asking for a trade package of at least three first-round draft picks, additional draft capital and players.   

Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson

Due to off-field legal troubles and an unfulfilled trade request, Watson missed the entire 2021 season. But when he makes his return to the NFL in 2022, he could be wearing Falcons red.