5.) Non-Pro Style Offense/Durability
It is extremely difficult to find a college team that runs a pro-style offense now a day compared to the spread offense which dominates the college landscape. Clemson is another spread team. Watson must prove he can be effective at making the pro-style dropbacks and getting the ball out when compared to staying in the shotgun.
He does have great footwork and mechanics so I can see him being able to make it but that doesn’t mean he has proven it yet. Clemson also ran a lot of quick routes, bubble screens, and read option plays. Those routes helped to compliment Watson’s accuracy percentage. NFL routes are more complex and he is going to have to prove he can make all the tough throws that are expected that he didn’t have to do at Clemson.
Designated runs were also a big thing for him in college. He had 372 rush attempts the last two seasons. Looking at the NFL he doesn’t have the body size to be a consistent runner without the worry for injury. The top five QBs with the most rush attempts in 2016 were Tyrod Taylor (5’11” 215 pounds), Cam Newton (6’5” 245 pounds), Russell Wilson (5’11” 215 pounds), Colin Kaepernick (6’4” 230 pounds), and Aaron Rodgers (6’2” 225 pounds). I’ll even throw in everyone’s new obsession Dak Prescott (6’2” 226 pounds).
Watson is listed as 6’3” 215 pounds and that is even after adding some weight for the 2016 season. That puts him about the same size as Teddy Bridgewater (6’2” 215 pounds) and Robert Griffin III (6’2” 218 pounds). You know what all three have in common? They have all suffered a torn ACL. Robert Griffin has done it twice, once in college and once in the NFL. Other QBs in the NFL have suffered multiple torn ACLs too including Sam Bradford and Carson Palmer. Watson is two years removed from his but with his running style and slender build, there should be some worry about his durability in the NFL too.
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