2022 Draft #34 Christian Watson

[Spanky]

If you want to get excited about Watson listen to Chris Simms' podcast Unbuttoned wherever you get your podcasts. Episode #368 from March 28th. He ranked Watson the #2 WR in the draft (Jameson Williams was #1).

It's about 40 minutes into the podcast (he counts down 5 to 1).

Some comments:

Do you like D.K. Metcalf? Do you like Chase Claypool? Do you like Mike Evans? Then you're going to like Christian Watson.

With Jameson Williams, they are the freakiest, most explosive players in the draft.

Acceleration off the line of scrimmage is as good as anyone in the draft. Explodes out of cuts.

Like Deebo Samuel, catches the ball at 100 mph.

The drops I saw were a result of lack of concentration. Trying to get upfield before securing the ball. It's not like he's fighting the ball.

His ability to make people miss in the open field is phenomenal. Much better yards after the catch than Drake London.

The freakiest of the freak compared to current NFL receivers.

You put him on Alabama or Ohio State and he's a top 10 pick.

He can do running back stuff. Amazing return guy.

Can run any route in the route tree.

He's elite in a number of areas.

His speed translates. He's not just a guy who runs fast.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Packers brought him in for interviews and were super impressed according to Gute. Some great athletes at WR have big egos and don't take coaching too well. Watson apparently doesn't fit that mold. While smarts may not matter that much, his score on the Wonderlick test matches his athletic ability. Great athlete, nice young man who takes coaching well. His WR coach is going to look forward to going to work every day!! Rodgers better start working on his deepballs because Watson will be super hard to overthrow.

 

[Dantés]

Packers brought him in for interviews and were super impressed according to Gute. Some great athletes at WR have big egos and don't take coaching too well. Watson apparently doesn't fit that mold. While smarts may not matter that much, his score on the Wonderlick test matches his athletic ability. Great athlete, nice young man who takes coaching well. His WR coach is going to look forward to going to work every day!! Rodgers better start working on his deepballs because Watson will be super hard to overthrow.

If you have an ego at North Dakota State, you won't play. They are the most hard-nosed, team-first program you will find literally anywhere.

 

[Dantés]

6'4" 208 lbs
32.5" arms, 10" hands, 77.5" wing


4.36 forty (91st%)
1.46 ten split (97th%)
38.5" vertical (84th%)
136" broad (98th%)
4.19 shuttle (61st%)
6.96 three cone (51st%)

 

[tynimiller]

6'4" 208 lbs
32.5" arms, 10" hands, 77.5" wing


4.36 forty (91st%)
1.46 ten split (97th%)
38.5" vertical (84th%)
136" broad (98th%)
4.19 shuttle (61st%)
6.96 three cone (51st%)

Those hands make me even more boggled by his drops. Hoping it is just like James Jones and Davante where as they refine and train with better coaches will be fine

 

[Ogsponge]

He scored a 38 on the wonderlic test so he is super smart (Aaron Rodgers only scored 33).

I was coming specifically to ask he how is his intelligence, lots of super athletic people don’t make it the NFL because the lack football acumen, desire and work ethic

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Packers finally do what they have to in order to finally get a pretty good WR, with a high ceiling and people are complaining?

Was hoping to find some positivity in a thread about the first WR drafted by the Packers in the first 2 rounds since 2014.

Agreed, as Watson is actually the highest drafted wide receiver by the Packers since Javon Walker in 2002.

I still just don’t know why he didn’t put up more stat production at the FCS level especially with some of the better FCS QBs throwing to him….a oober high RAS WR in Tanner Conner produced more at the FCS level than Watson…just odd is all.

The main reason for Watson's lack of total production is that the Bisons only threw the ball on 27.5% of their offensive plays last season.

 

[GleefulGary]

I still just don’t know why he didn’t put up more stat production at the FCS level especially with some of the better FCS QBs throwing to him….a oober high RAS WR in Tanner Conner produced more at the FCS level than Watson…just odd is all.

He ceiling is incredibly high and I think with MLF and Rodgers he will easily turn into something special by the end of regular season for us I bet

NDSU doesn’t pass the ball. They don’t need to.

Watson’s sophomore year he accounted for 25% of the receiving yards. Junior year was 36%. Senior year was 35% of the total yards despite missing 3 games.

 

[Pkrjones]

I was coming specifically to ask he how is his intelligence, lots of super athletic people don’t make it the NFL because the lack football acumen, desire and work ethic

He scored a 38 on the wonderlic test so he is super smart (Aaron Rodgers only scored 33).

Awesome!!! He & AR can bond while playing multi-level chess!

 

[Dantés]

NFL comp if he hits:

Martavis Bryan with more wiggle

 

[Magooch]

NFL comp if he hits:

Martavis Bryan with more wiggle

RAS comps:
Calvin Johnson (GA Tech, 2007)
Julio Jones (Alabaman, 2011)
Javon Walker (FSU, 2002)
DJ Chark (LSU, 2018)
Tyrell Williams (Western Oregon, 2015)

 

[Schultz]

I wish you would have stopped after the 1st 2.

 

[GleefulGary]

I wish you would have stopped after the 1st 2.

? All of those guys have had good NFL seasons. Javon Walker was very good for a bit.

 

[GreenNGold_81]

? All of those guys have had good NFL seasons. Javon Walker was very good for a bit.

Javon without injuries was about to be elite, IMO, but probably needed to stay with Favre to hit his ceiling. Losing Javon in 2005 with his ACL I think led to us drafting Greg Jennings if I got the timeline right. So all in all, not too bad a trade.

 

[easyk83]

Back in the olden days of 05 ACL was a dicier injury ti recover from than it is today.

 

[longtimefan]

Lot of chatter on national talk shows that packers hit it out of the park


Keyshawn Johnson thinks wattson has the potential to be best wr from this draft

 

[kevans74]

Lot of chatter on national talk shows that packers hit it out of the park


Keyshawn Johnson thinks wattson has the potential to be best wr from this draft

Yeah, there were those Randy Moss comparisons too about him

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Lot of chatter on national talk shows that packers hit it out of the park


Keyshawn Johnson thinks wattson has the potential to be best wr from this draft

It is funny how the initial reaction of many was that the Packers had a below average draft and that the move up to get Watson was a big mistake. Now that the dust has cleared and people are actually learning about guys like Watson, Tom, Doubs and a few other picks, they realize that Gute had a solid draft.

Grading drafts before any of these guys even practice is crazy anyway, but it is nice to see the narrative switching. I guess in 1-3 years, we will know a lot more about these 11 college football players that are now Green Bay Packers.

 

[sschind]

It is funny how the initial reaction of many was that the Packers had a below average draft and that the move up to get Watson was a big mistake. Now that the dust has cleared and people are actually learning about guys like Watson, Tom, Doubs and a few other picks, they realize that Gute had a solid draft.

Grading drafts before any of these guys even practice is crazy anyway, but it is nice to see the narrative switching. I guess in 1-3 years, we will know a lot more about these 11 college football players that are now Green Bay Packers.

Not only learning about these guys but getting over the initial prejudice of them not taking a WR in the first round. To some the only way the Packers were going to get a high grade was to take a WR at 22 and/or at 28 and to some they would have had to trade up to get a top 4 guy to earn that grade.

As far as grading a draft right now being crazy its not so crazy if you realize what you are using as your grading criteria. As a prediction of how these guys are going to help the team it is crazy. That means trying to guess how they will pan out in three years. As an indication of how the particular skill sets of these players fit in with the current needs of the team as they stand right now or maybe next season it makes more sense. Right now you are grading potential not production.

 

[tynimiller]

It is funny how the initial reaction of many was that the Packers had a below average draft and that the move up to get Watson was a big mistake. Now that the dust has cleared and people are actually learning about guys like Watson, Tom, Doubs and a few other picks, they realize that Gute had a solid draft.

Grading drafts before any of these guys even practice is crazy anyway, but it is nice to see the narrative switching. I guess in 1-3 years, we will know a lot more about these 11 college football players that are now Green Bay Packers.

Anyone saying the Packers didn't have an excellent draft at this point are just displaying their ignorance.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Anyone saying the Packers didn't have an excellent draft at this point are just displaying their ignorance.

Yup, agreed. At the end of the day, I don't really care how they got the players they got, especially since they didn't spend any future picks obtaining them. I can see arguments, on paper, that they "should have done this or should have done that", but I am quite happy that this draft appears to have gotten some players that look as though they will improve all 3 phases of our game. I guess we will all find out in the coming years.

I would have loved to have gotten Olave or Burks, but doing so would have cost us one of Walker or Wyatt and at least one of the second round picks and probably the 3d rounder. So I will gladly take one of the defenders, Watson and Rhyan over Olave/Burks and whoever we would have gotten at 59.

I think the final grade for this draft will somewhat hinge on Watson. If he does great, Gute will get the praise he deserves. If Watson fails, people will point to Gute spending 2 second rounders on him.

 

[Mondio]

as always, nobody knows how these guys are going to turn out, but for me, it's easy to see why they chose each and every one of these guys. They have athleticism, they show up on game film, etc. There aren't any taken in any round that make me think, "why did they draft that guy?" like when they took Love or Sternberger. For me anyway.
and there are a lot of guys that have me thinking exactly like when they took Gary, Stokes, Meyers, later guys like Slaton. I see a lot of potential in pretty much every single pick. What's to be down about?

 

[tynimiller]

I think the final grade for this draft will somewhat hinge on Watson. If he does great, Gute will get the praise he deserves. If Watson fails, people will point to Gute spending 2 second rounders on him.

Yeah that poor kid still has a first round expectation by far too many and anything short of say putting up like 900 yards and about 9 TDs is going to be pegged as a failure by many.

I look forward to hearing and seeing how well he, Doubs and Toure do at digesting the system prior to Rodgers flying in and also look forward to hopefully seeing a comfortable Amari out there this season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

To some the only way the Packers were going to get a high grade was to take a WR at 22 and/or at 28

Yes and the players that the Packers got at 22 and 28, I believe were top notch picks that fell that far due to all the WR's taken.

Yeah that poor kid still has a first round expectation by far too many and anything short of say putting up like 900 yards and about 9 TDs is going to be pegged as a failure by many.

I look forward to hearing and seeing how well he, Doubs and Toure do at digesting the system prior to Rodgers flying in and also look forward to hopefully seeing a comfortable Amari out there this season.

I don't expect a whole lot out of any of the 3 rookie WR's in year 1. This is going to be a learning curve, much like the Packers previous star WR's went through. The phrase "remember Davante's first few years" will need to be uttered at least a 1000 times this season.

 

[tynimiller]

Yes and the players that the Packers got at 22 and 28, I believe were top notch picks that fell that far due to all the WR's taken.

I don't expect a whole lot out of any of the 3 rookie WR's in year 1. This is going to be a learning curve, much like the Packers previous star WR's went through. The phrase "remember Davante's first few years" will need to be uttered at least a 1000 times this season.

Honestly, my expectations are as follows for the rookies:

Toure - he will do well and have struggles in pre-season and camp, but in the end he will earn a PS spot and realistically I'd love to see him never have to take a game snap in the season.

Watson/Doubs - I don't realistically expect either to come out and go nuts...but I do believe together they produce 50 receptions or more, 1,000 yards or more and half dozen TDs. Both will struggle and at times shine - the dream scenario is by regular seasons' end at least one has started hitting their stride and he and Rodgers seem to be on same page a lot, making a dangerous addition to the weapons for the playoff push.