University of Maryland Athletics

Career Notes

• 2018 FWAA Second Team All-American
• 2018 Phil Steele Second Team All-American
• 2018 First Team All-Big Ten
• 2018 Big Ten tackles leader
• 4x Academic All-Big Ten (2015-18)
• Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (9/24/18).
• 2016 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten at Illinois

As a Senior in 2018: FWAA Second Team All-American ... First Team All-Big Ten ... Led Big Ten in tackles/g (9.6) and ranked second in solo tackles/g (5.9) ... Also led the Big Ten with five interceptions, which are tied for the most by a linebacker in program history ... Led team with 12 tackles against #9 Ohio State (11/17) ... Picked off fifth pass of the year and led the team with seven tackles at Indiana (11/10) ... Notched a game-best 13 tackles vs. Michigan State (11/3) ... Had 15 tackles and an INT at #19 Iowa (10/20) ... Posted five tackles and an INT vs. Rutgers (10/13) - missed first half serving a targeting suspension from the Michigan (10/6) game ... Notched game-high 10 tackles, including nine solo, at #15 Michigan (10/6) ... Had game-high 11 tackles, including a sack, and returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown against Minnesota (9/22) ... Totaled game-high 15 tackles, including a career-best nine solo, against Temple (9/15) ... Started at WILL in Terrapin debut vs. #23 Texas (9/1), totaling nine tackles and intercepting a key pass in the fourth quarter.

As a Junior (2017 - Illinois): Academic All-Big Ten ... Played in nine games with seven starts at linebacker ... Missed three games with an injury ... Posted 65 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery ... Led Illinois in quarterback hurries (5) ... Tied for second on the team in TFLs (4.5) ... Tied for third on the team in tackles (65) ... Tied for third on the team in TFLs during Big Ten games (3.5) ... Voted a team captain by his teammates for four games ... Graduated with a community health degree and transferred following the season. 

As a Sophomore (2016 - Illinois): All-Big Ten honorable mention (media) ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Played in 12 games with eight starts at linebacker ... Second on the team with 102 tackles (38 solo) ... Posted 4.5 TFLs, 3 forced fumbles, 1 PBU and 1 qb hurry ... Tied for the Big Ten lead in tackles during conference games (93), along with Iowa's Josey Jewell ... Seventh in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.5) during the regular season ... Third Illini underclassman (freshman/sophomore) with 100+ tackles in a season since 2000 ... First career start at Nebraska ... Career-high 16 tackles, 1.5 TFLs vs. Michigan State ... Career-high 1.5 TFLs and one QB hurry at Michigan ... Three tackles in the opener against Murray State. 

As a Redshirt Freshman (2015 - Illinois): Academic All-Big Ten ... Played in all 12 games ... Posted 21 tackles (9 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack on season ... Made four tackles vs. Western Illinois and Purdue ... Had a sack for a seven-yard loss at Penn State ... Named Illinois Defensive Newcomer of the Year.

As a Freshman (2014 - Illinois): Redshirt season.

High School: Three-star recruit by ESPN.com and Scout ... Had 164 tackles, 96 solos, 11.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, 46 QB hurries, six passes defended, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception in 2013 to earn first-team Class 3A All-State Elite honors by FloridaHSFootball.com and second-team all-state honors by the Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Bay Times ... Also had 11 receptions for 192 yards in 2013 ... Helped lead team to 3A state semifinals and to a district title in 2013 ... Named Defensive MVP of the 2014 Blue-Gray All-America Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa ... Totaled 161 tackles, 25.0 TFLs, 16.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, two blocked punts and one interception in 2012 ... Named all-state and all-county by the Tampa Bay Times ... Honor roll member all four years.

Personal: Born July 5, 1996 ... Born in Phoenix, Ariz. ... Son of Tim and Christa Watson ... Has one brother and three sisters ... Father played football at Howard University and had a five-year NFL career, playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles from 1993-97 ... Uncle, Cedric Watson, played football at Marshall University ... younger brother Christian Watson plays football at North Dakota State University … cousin of Jordin Sparks ... Active in Health Occupation Students of America, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society and National Beta Club in high school National Honor Society ... Lists NBA basketball player Blake Griffin as his favorite athlete because "he is the most physically dominant player and puts on a show for the fans." ... graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health … Working towards his graduate degree in Masters of Public Health: Behavioral and Community Health.