Justin Watson

... : A four-year starter at Pennsylvania, Watson quickly established himself as the go-to receiving threat for the Quakers, lining up inside and outside. Penn’s all-time leading receiver, he is arguably the best wide receiver in Ivy League history, catching a pass in all 40 games in his career (first Ivy Leaguer to do so) and setting the league-record with 19 career 100-yard receiving games. Watson doesn’t play sudden, but has a knack for creating slivers of separation with his athleticism and route rhythm, giving quarterbacks a manageable window. Although he dominated inferior competition in college, he didn’t look out of place vs. NFL-caliber defensive backs during Shrine Game and Senior Bowl weeks. BACKGROUND: A two-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Justin Watson was a three-year letterwinner in both football and basketball at South Fayette, serving as a team captain in both sports. As a senior, he set conference records with 1,568 receiving yards and 22 touchdown catches, leading the team to a perfect 16-0 record and the 2013 state championship – also played defensive back. Watson held offers from FBS-programs Akron and Buffalo, but the academic opportunities in the Ivy League swayed him to Penn. He made an immediate impact and set school freshman records with 42 catches for 497 yards and two scores. Watson became a full-time starter as a sophomore and led the team with 74 receptions for 1,082 yards and nine touchdowns, earning First Team All-Ivy honors. He set the single-season school-records for catches (89) and receiving yards (1,115) as a junior, earning First Team All-Ivy honors and was a finalist for the FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award. Watson set a school record with 14 receiving scores as a senior, again leading the team in receiving with 81 catches for 1,083 yards to earn First Team All-Ivy honors. He accepted his invitation to the 2018 East-West Shrine Game and was a late call-up to the 2018 Senior Bowl.

in our view

Watson will face an adjustment vs. NFL competition, but with his athleticism and make-up, he is fully capable of developing into a productive pro.

strengths

Tall, rangy athlete with rocked-up muscle definition…skilled pacing for a long-strider to stack cornerbacks on vertical routes…excellent track-and-adjust skills…maintains focus through the catch and one-handed grabs are routine for him…comfortable making grab over defensive backs…uses subtle push-offs downfield to create late separation without making it obvious…sterling intangibles with first-class character and work habits…productive go-to threat, accounting for 47.6% of Penn’s total catches in 2017, the highest percentage of any receiver in the FBS or FCS…does some of his best work when the field shrinks in the red zone, becoming the first Ivy Leaguer to record a touchdown catch in every game in a season (2017)…set the Penn career receiving records for catches (286), receiving yards (3,777) and touchdown receptions (33).

weaknesses

Speed is more build-up than instant…only average start/stop movements…comes off the line of scrimmage tall and play strength will be tested vs. the jam…looks comfortable in a crowd, but needs to better gain body position vs. defenders…allows some balls into his body…needs added route refinement to expand his catalogue of patterns…much better before and at the catch point rather than after with limited make-you-miss as a ballcarrier…thrived in a conference not known for producing NFL defensive talent.

South Fayette HS: Lettered three years in football and served as team captain as a senior

Named first-team all-state and all-conference as a senior

Set league records with 1,568 receiving yards and 22 touchdown receptions in a season (2013), which placed him fourth and third in state history in those categories, respectively

Selected as 2013 Almanac MVP

Named to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 22, Observer Reporter Elite 11 and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette West Fabulous 22 as a senior

Selected to 2014 Big 33 All Star Game

Named to 2013 All-Academic Gold team by Pennsylvania Football News

Member of the winningest class in South Fayette history at 49-6, including 27-1 over his final two seasons with a perfect 16-0 record en route to the 2013 state championship

Also won three conference titles and two district championships

Also lettered three years in basketball and served as captain as a senior.

Personal: Son of Terri and Doug Watson

Enrolled in Wharton.