Christian Watson

Christian Justus Watson (born May 12, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Dakota State, and was selected by the Packers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Christian Watson
No. 9 – Green Bay Packers
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1999-05-12) May 12, 1999
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:Henry B. Plant
(Tampa, Florida)
College:North Dakota State (2017–2021)
NFL Draft:2022 / Round: 2 / Pick: 34
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2022
Receptions:41
Receiving yards:611
Receiving touchdowns:7
Rushing yards:80
Rushing touchdown:2
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early life and high school career

Watson was born in Phoenix, Arizona and grew up in Tampa, Florida, where he attended Henry B. Plant High School.[1] He played for Plant's junior varsity football team for his first two years of high school.[2] Watson began his freshman year at 5-foot-9 and ended his senior season at 6-foot-2.[3] He gained 20 pounds between his junior and senior years. His growth allowed him to be more successful on the field, where he caught 23 passes for 393 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.[4][5]

Watson was lightly recruited coming out of high school, in large part due to a lack of playing time until his senior season. He committed to play college football at North Dakota State University entering his senior year.[6][7]

High school statistics
Henry B. Plant High School
Season GP Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
2016 3 4 63 15.8 2 0 0 0.0 0
2017 13 23 393 17.1 8 3 53 17.7 0
Career 16 27 456 16.9 10 3 53 17.7 0
Source:[8]

College career

Watson redshirted his freshman season. As a redshirt freshman the following year, he caught nine passes for 165 yards as the Bison won the 2018 FCS national championship.[9] As a redshirt sophomore, Watson caught 34 passes for 732 yards and six touchdowns and was named second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).[10]

He had 19 catches for 442 yards and one touchdown and was named first-team All-MVFC and 1st team All-American(AP) as an All-Purpose player in his redshirt junior season, which was shortened and played in early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] He repeated as a first-team All-MVFC selection, and was named second-team All-American(AP) after catching 43 passes for 801 yards and seven touchdowns in his redshirt senior season.[12] Watson and the Bison won the 2021 FCS national championship, beating Montana State 38–10.[13] He missed almost the entire postseason in his senior season.[14] Watson also played in the 2022 Senior Bowl where he was voted National WR of the Week.[15]

College statistics
North Dakota State Bison
Season GP Receiving Rushing
RecYdsAvgTDAttYdsAvgTD
2018 14916518.30000.00
2019 163473221.561316212.51
2020 101944223.31211165.50
2021 124380118.67151147.61
Career521052,14020.414493928.02
Source:[16]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench pressWonderlic
6 ft 4+1⁄8 in
(1.93 m)		 208 lb
(94 kg)		 32+1⁄2 in
(0.83 m)		 10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		4.36 s1.45 s2.45 s4.19 s6.96 s38.5 in
(0.98 m)		11 ft 4 in
(3.45 m)		18 reps38[17]
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[18][19][20]

During the 2022 NFL Combine, Watson was ranked 97th overall and 15th wide receiver in the class by Bleacher Report Scouting[21]

Watson was selected as the second pick of the second round (34th overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He was the seventh wide receiver selected in the draft.[22] Watson was the only wide receiver from North Dakota State University to be drafted in the past thirty-seven years.[23] On July 20, 2022, he signed his rookie contract.[24], a four-year deal with the Packers worth $9,241,031.[25]

During the offseason, Watson suffered a minor knee injury that required him to undergo knee surgery which caused him to miss the majority of training camp.[26]

In Watsons' NFL debut, during Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Watson, on his first NFL play, dropped Aaron Rodgers's first throw of the season on a deep route on which he had beaten former All-Pro Patrick Peterson and was wide open for a likely touchdown. After the dropped pass, Rodgers did not look toward Watson until the end of the fourth quarter.[27] He finished the game with two receptions for 32 yards, and rushing once for an additional seven in the 23–7 loss.[28][29][30] In Week 4, against the New England Patriots, Watson scored his first NFL touchdown on a 15-yard rush.[31]

During Week 8, in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills, Watson suffered from a concussion. Watson went out for a 12 yard pass during their first offensive possession, and he received a hard hit to the head. Although they brought out a board for assistance, he eventually was able to walk off the field.[32]

In Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys, Watson had a breakout performance, catching four passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns in the 31–28 overtime win. After multiple drops on the opening drive, Watson scored the Packers’ longest and second longest touchdowns of the season, a 58 yard score from Rodgers in the second quarter, and a 39 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter. He also scored a 7 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter to tie the game near the end of regulation. [33] For this performance, Watson won NFL Week 10 Rookie of the Week.[34] For his performance in the month of November, Watson was awarded Rookie of the Month.[35]

Watson finished his rookie year with 41 receptions for 611 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns, as well as 2 rushing touchdowns(tied for both the most receiving and total touchdowns among all Rookies).[36]

NFL career statistics

Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2022GB 14114161114.963T778011.446T200
Career14114161114.963T778011.446T200
Source: PFR.com

Personal life

Watson's father, Tim Watson, played safety in the NFL during the 1990s for the Packers, Eagles, Chiefs, and Giants.[37] He was a sixth-round selection of the Packers in the 1993 NFL Draft.[38] His father now goes by Tazim Wajid Wajed.[2]

Watson has four siblings, a brother and three sisters.[39] Watson's older brother, Tre Watson, played linebacker at Maryland and Illinois and was an All-Big Ten selection. He currently plays in the XFL.[40]

References
  1. Putnam, Bob (January 10, 2020). "North Dakota State-James Madison title tilt has Tampa Bay ties". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  2. Schneidman, Matt. "What is Christian Watson capable of? The Packers hope it's a quick connection with his QB". The Athletic. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  3. "Loyalty, character, winner: The makeup of Christian Watson and his journey to the NFL". packers.com. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  4. Schneidman, Matt. "What is Christian Watson capable of? The Packers hope it's a quick connection with his QB". The Athletic. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  5. Hughes, Connor (February 18, 2022). "Christian Watson's big Senior Bowl week creates buzz about receiver's NFL Draft potential". The Athletic. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  6. "Loyalty, character, winner: The makeup of Christian Watson and his journey to the NFL". packers.com. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  7. "Loyalty, character, winner: The makeup of Christian Watson and his journey to the NFL". packers.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  8. "Christian Watson's High School Football Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  9. Peterson, Eric (August 9, 2019). "Watson, Sproles lead young NDSU receiving corps". The Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  10. Kolpack, Jeff (January 8, 2020). "How fast is Christian Watson? He's 23 mph fast, and Bison football has GPS to prove it". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  11. "NDSU's Watson named to Walter Payton Award watch list". Minot Daily News. August 5, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  12. Izzo, Dom (January 11, 2022). "Former Bison wide receiver Watson receives NFL combine invite". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  13. SELVIG, DAVE. "NDSU's Volson picked in fourth round by Bengals; Cowboys draft UND's Waletzko". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  14. SELVIG, DAVE. "Bison open season as FCS favorite". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  15. Peterson, Eric (January 5, 2022). "Bison wide receiver Christian Watson accepts invitation to Reeses Senior Bowl all-star game". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  16. "Christian Watson College Stats". gobison.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  17. "The Green Bay Packers Hope Christian Watson Can Be Their Next Sensational Second-Round Wideout". Forbes. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  18. "Christian Watson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". National Football League. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  19. "Christian Watson, North Dakota State, WR, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  20. "Christian Watson 2022 NFL Draft Profile". ESPN. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  21. Department, BR NFL Scouting. "Christian Watson NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for North Dakota State WR". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  22. "2022 NFL Draft: Packers select North Dakota State WR Christian Watson in second round, No. 34 overall". packers.com. April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  23. "Loyalty, character, winner: The makeup of Christian Watson and his journey to the NFL". packers.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  24. "Packers sign WR Christian Watson". packers.com. July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  25. Huber, Bill. "Watson Remains Unsigned as Training Camp Approaches". Sports Illustrated Green Bay Packers News, Analysis and More. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  26. "Packers rookie wideout Christian Watson upgraded to team drills in practice". Green Bay Packers. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  27. R, Michael; Tribune, Star. "Packers' poor play puts Aaron Rodgers in Hall of Fame of bad body language". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  28. Silverstein, Tom (September 11, 2022). "After dropping sure TD pass, Packers rookie receiver Christian Watson vows 'that is a play I am going to make 99 times out of 100'". Packers News. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  29. "Packers' Christian Watson: Wastes early opportunity". CBSSports.com. September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  30. Huber, Bill (September 11, 2022). "The One That Got Away: Watson Drops Opening Bomb vs. Vikings". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  31. "New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers – October 2nd, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  32. "Packers lose Watson to concussion; Walker tossed". ESPN. October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  33. "Packers vs. Cowboys score: Aaron Rodgers, Christian Watson explode in comeback to upset Dallas at Lambeau". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  34. "Packers WR Christian Watson named NFL Rookie of Week 10". packers.com. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  35. "Packers WR Christian Watson named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for November". packers.com. December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  36. "Christian Watson Stats". ESPN. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  37. McFeely, Mike (January 7, 2022). "McFeely: Once under the radar, Bison receiver Watson's next stop is the NFL". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  38. "1993 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  39. Huber, Bill. "Like Father, Like Son: The Christian Watson Story". Sports Illustrated Green Bay Packers News, Analysis and More. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  40. "Loyalty, character, winner: The makeup of Christian Watson and his journey to the NFL". packers.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
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