Nathaniel Watson

HISTORY — From College Profile

 

Career Honors
Drafted in the 6th round, pick 206, by the Cleveland Brown in the 2024 NFL Draft

 

NFL Combine Participant

2024 Reese's Senior Bowl Participant
2024 East-West Shrine Bowl Invitee
2023 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
2023 Phil Steele All-American (Third Team)
2023 Phil Steele All-SEC (First Team)
2023 ESPN All-American (Second Team)
2023 AP All-American (Third Team)
2023 All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
2023 AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year
2023 AP All-SEC First Team
2023 College Football Network All-American (Second Team)
2023 College Football Network All-SEC First Team
2023 Butkus Award Finalist
2023 Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week (Week 12 vs. Southern Miss)
2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 12 vs. Southern Miss)
2023 Conerly Trophy Finalist
2023 Butkus Award Semifinalist
2023 Bednarik Award National Defensive Player of the Week (Week 8 at Arkansas)
2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 8 at Arkansas)
2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
2023 Preseason All-SEC (PFF, LB)
2023 Preseason All-SEC (Media, 2nd team)
2022 Second Team All-SEC (LB: AP, Coaches')
2022 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll
 
Career Notes & Records
Appeared in 57 career games with 39 starts … Led the SEC in total tackles (137) and sacks (10) in 2023 … Became the first Bulldog to lead the SEC in sacks since Montez Sweat in 2017 … Watson is the only SEC player to lead the conference in both tackles and sacks in the same season … Teaming with Jett Johnson, the pair became the first pair of SEC teammates to lead the SEC in total tackles in back-to-back seasons, they were also just the third pair of Power 5 teammates to lead their respective conference in back-to-back season, joining Virginia in 2016-17 and Duke in 2013-14 … Back-to-back 21 tackle performances against Southern Miss and Ole Miss to close out the 2023 season. His 21 tackles were the most by an SEC defender in a single game since 2017 and the most by a Bulldog since 2000 … Became the first FBS player to record back-to-back 20+ tackle games since 2013 … 2023 AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year, first Bulldog to ever earn the honor … Picked up four All-American honors in 2023 … Accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Reese’s Senior Bowl … Finished second in the SEC in total tackles in 2022 (113) … He has 379 career tackles, 21.0 career sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles ... Became the fourth Bulldog in program history to be named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award … His 379 career tackles rank 7th all-time at MSU (as of 2023) … His 10 sacks this season are tied for 9th at MSU (as of 2023) … His 21 career sacks rank 7th all-time at MSU (as of 2023).

2023 (Graduate Season)
AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year … Four All-American Honors … First Team All-SEC … Appeared in 12 games with 12 starts … Career-high 137 tackles and 10 sacks … Led the SEC in both tackles and sacks … Only SEC player to lead the conference in both tackles and sacks in the same season … Back-to-back 21 tackle performances against Southern Miss and Ole Miss to close out the 2023 season … His 21 tackles were the most by an SEC defender in a single game since 2017 and the most by a Bulldog since 2000 … Became the first FBS player to record back-to-back 20+ tackle games since 2013  … Recorded at least 0.5 tackles for loss in every game … Recorded a sack in six of 12 games … Had one interception and two fumble … His 137 tackles are the most by a Bulldog since 1996 … His 10 sacks are the most by a Bulldog since 2018 ... SE Louisiana (9/2): Collected a career-high 1.5 sacks for a loss of 14 yards ... Led the team with eight tackles and a pass breakup ... Forced and recovered a fumble ... Eclipsed 250 career tackles … Arizona (9/9): Tallied 10 tackles including a half of a tackle for loss … Picked off a pass for and returned it 16 yards … Recorded a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. … LSU (9/16): Finished with 13 tackles including a split sack … at South Carolina (9/23): Had five solo tackles including a sack … Recovered a fumble in opponent territory … Alabama (9/30): Totaled a dozen tackles including a tackle for loss … Western Michigan (10/7): Finished with a career-high 2.0 sacks for a combined loss of 10 yards … Tied the team lead with nine tackles … Also had a pair of quarterback hurries, a career-high … at Arkansas (10/21): Recorded a pair of sacks for the second week in a row tying his career-high … Led the team with 14 tackles and eclipsed 300 career tackles … Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Bednarik Award Player of the Week for his efforts … at Auburn (10/28): Led the team with nine tackles including a tackle for loss … Kentucky (11/4): Split a sack and finished with seven tackles … Also had a quarterback hurry … at Texas A&M (11/11): Finished with a team-leading eight tackles … Also had a sack for a loss of eight yards … Southern Miss (11/18): Set a new career-high with 21 tackles … Is the first Bulldog to record 20+ tackles since Mario Haggan on Nov. 18, 2000 against Arkansas … Also had a strip sack for a loss of 11 yards … Ole Miss (11/23): Tied his career-high with 21 tackles, which is tied for the second-most tackles by an MSU player in Egg Bowl history … Had a pair of quarterback hurries to force a pair of three-and-outs … Also had a split tackle for loss.

2022 (Senior Season)
Appeared in 13 games with 12 starts ... Finished second on the team and second in the SEC with 113 tackles including a team-leading 12.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks ... Combined with teammate Jett Johnson as the only pair of Power 5 teammates to finish 1-2 in their respective conference in tackles ... One of three Power 5 duos to both have 100-plus tackles this season ... Had one interception, one pass breakup, and a forced fumble ... Memphis (9/3): Tallied four tackles including half for a loss in State’s season-opening win over Memphis ... at Arizona (9/10): Returned an interception 51 yards to the 11-yard line … Also tallied four tackles including one for a loss ... at LSU(9/17): Tied the team-high with 11 tackles including a sack … Also had a pass breakup ... Bowling Green (9/24): Notched a team-leading 10 tackles as well as a sack for a loss of five yards ... Texas A&M (10/1): Made six stops including a strip sack in the redzone ... Arkansas (10/8): Had six tackles in the win over the Razorbacks ... at Kentucky (10/15): Led the team with a career-high 17 tackles ... at Alabama (10/22): Collected a team-leading 10 tackles including a sack for a loss of nine yards ... Auburn (11/5): Totaled a team-leading 10 tackles including a tackle for loss ... Georgia (11/12): Led the team with 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss ... ETSU (11/19): Made four stops and split a tackle for a loss ... at Ole Miss (11/24): Tied the team lead with 10 tackles including a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss ... vs. Illinois (1/2): Recorded five stops including a sack.

2021 (Junior Season)
Appeared in 12 games, all starts … Finished second on the team with 84 total tackles and five sacks … Also added six tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and one pass deflection … Leading tackler in four games (Texas A&M, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss) … Louisiana Tech (9/4): Finished tied for second on the team with seven tackles and one quarterback hurry … NC State (9/11): Made five tackles, a half-tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry … LSU (9/25): Finished third on the team with six tackles and a half-tackle for loss … at No. 15 Texas A&M (10/2): Tied for the team lead with eight stops and one sack … No. 5 Alabama (10/16): Topped the team with 16 tackles and one sack … It was the most tackles by a Bulldog in a single game since 2011 … at Vanderbilt (10/23): Led the team with five tackles … No. 12 Kentucky (10/30): Finished third on the team with five tackles … at Arkansas (11/6): Registered six tackles and one sack … at No. 17 Auburn (11/13): Tallied three tackles … Tennessee State (11/20): Recorded three tackles and broke up a pass … No. 9 Ole Miss (11/25): Tied for the team lead with 14 tackles, including a sack … vs. Texas Tech (12/28): Made six tackles and one sack.

2020 (Sophomore Season)
Earned SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll ... Appeared in all 11 games with three starts ... One of 26 Bulldogs to make their first career start in 2020 ... Saw time on defense and special teams ... at LSU (9/26): Recorded three tackles ... at Kentucky (10/10): Logged three tackles and half a tackle for loss ... Part of a defense that allowed only 157 yards of total offense, the fewest yielded by the Bulldogs in an SEC contest since 2008 against Vanderbilt (107 yards) ... Texas A&M (10/17): Recorded one tackle ... at Alabama (10/31): Totaled one stop ... Vanderbilt (11/7): Finished with three tackles .... at Georgia (11/21): Made his first career start ... Recorded four tackles ... Logged 1.5 tackles for loss ... Added one pass breakup ... Part of a defense that tallied 11 tackles for loss ... Helped hold Georgia to eight yards rushing, the fewest yards allowed by State in an SEC game since at least 2006 ... at Ole Miss (11/28): Piled up eight tackles with seven solo stops ... Auburn (12/12): Logged three tackles ... Missouri (12/19): Tied for game-high with 13 tackles ... Logged a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter ... vs. Tulsa (12/31): Made one stop.

2019 (Redshirt Freshman Season)
Appeared in in seven games ... vs. Louisville (12/30): Totaled two stops … Made first career tackle for loss in the second quarter with a solo stop for a 1-yard loss.
 
2018 (True Freshman Season)
Appeared in two games … Redshirted his initial year with the program ... Stephen F. Austin (9/1): Made collegiate debut … Logged a pair of solo stops on defense in the final series of the game ... Louisiana Tech (11/3): Had one tackle.
 
High School
Prepped at Maplesville High School under head coach James Hubert … Three-star athlete per ESPN, Rivals and 247sports … Tabbed No. 15 recruit in Alabama by 247Sports … Played linebacker and wide receiver at MHS … Led Maplesville to three state championships during his prep career, including an undefeated season as a junior … As a senior, caught 45 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns … Added 500 yards on the ground for seven scores … Recorded 45 tackles with three interceptions … As a junior, caught 45 passes for 1,070 yards and 12 scores … Rushed for 376 yards and four scores … Owned 70 tackles … Made four interceptions with a pair returned for touchdowns … Competed in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Committed to MSU on August 17, 2017.
 
Personal
Born Nathaniel Watson on September 1, 2000 … Son of Irene Granson and Nathaniel Watson … Has four siblings – Edwin Pettway, Kanria Pettway, Tay-Tay Watson and Calors Grandison … Uncle, Harold Morrow, played fullback at Auburn University and in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings (1996-02), Baltimore Ravens (2003-04) and Arizona Cardinals (2005) … Nickname is “Bookie,” which he shares with his father … Graduated with his Masters in Workforce Education degree in Fall 2022 and his undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Fall 2021.
 
Social Media
Twitter – @Nathaniel_ATH
Instagram – bookie_watson

 

2022

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
12.0	2.0	109.0	0.0	0.0	6.0	50.0

interceptions
TD	AVG	YDS	INT
0.0	51.0	51.0	1.0

2021

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
6.0	2.0	83.0	0.0	1.0	5.0	33.0

2020

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
3.0	1.0	39.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	15.0

2019

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
1.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0

2018

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	3.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0