SUMMARY
Watson no doubt has the physical tools to be a very good starting defensive tackle in the NFL, but he was not a consistently productive college player -- Inconsistent enough that during his senior season he was a backup in some games and only rotated in for about 15-20 snaps. While he is a very good natural athlete, Watson is not a top-notch explosive athlete that can make an impact as a one-gap defensive tackle in the NFL. He is much more suited to being a two-gap, strong defensive tackle that can dominante at the point of attack, make plays on inside runs and can collapse the pocket to pressure the quarterback. All of his success comes when he plays with aggressiveness and attacks the offensive line. Watson is going to struggle to become the disruptive defensive tackle he is capable of until he learns to play with a very good effort on every snap. He is the type of defensive tackle that will start in the NFL and is best suited to play nose tackle (For either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense), but will always frustrate his coaches by not playing up to his ability on a consistent basis.
CRITICAL FACTORS
Size Initial Quickness Play Strength Competes Play Speed Instincts
6.5 6.0 6.0 5.0 5.5 6.0
STRONG POINTS
Watson is a very good athlete with the quick feet, explosiveness and natural strength that are excellent for a defensive tackle. When he plays aggressively, he bursts off the ball and is a disruptive force. Can drive the guard back into the quarterback's lap, gets hits on quarterbacks and can stack the point of attack against run blocks to clog the middle. Has strong arms and has shown the ability to make arm tackles on inside runs. Has the speed to chase down ball carriers in pursuit between the tackles when he plays with urgency and intensity.
WEAKNESSES
Watson does not play with the level of effort and intensity on every snap to produce consistently. Way too often he pops upright at the snap, allows blockers to get into his chest and can be turned and sealed out of the play. When he gets up high, he can't get any push when he tries to bull rush. Gets lazy with his hands and does not reach down to protect his legs from cut blocks, which leads to him getting slowed up and dropped to the ground fairly easily. More than anything, it is concerning that he is soft-bodied and fleshy, which points to an inconsistent work ethic off the field. Does not play with a sense of urgency on every snap.
POSITIONAL FACTORS
Grade Category Comments/Description
5.5 Read & React When he plays aggressively with leverage, he reads and reacts quickly to play.
6.0 Initial Quickness Flashes excellent quickness off the ball, but does not burst off the ball consistently.
6.0 Play Strength he does not dominate at the point of attack as he is capable of on every snap, but he does clog up the middle.
5.5 Use of Hands Flashes ability to jolt and control blocker with his hands, but too often lets the blocker into his chest.
5.5 Shed Blocker When he uses his hands aggressively, he sheds blocks and disrupts plays consistently.
6.0 Run at Him Does not always make the tackle, but he does clog the middle and slows down runs at him.
5.0 Pursuit/Range Has quickness and speed to be good, but does not hustle and chase with effort often enough.
6.5 Tackling When he gets near the ball, his strength enables him to always get the opponent to the ground.
6.0 Closing Burst When he gets close to the quarterback, he has a surprisingly good closing burst to finish plays.
5.5 Power Rush Can be dominant and drive the guard back into quarterback's lap easily, but when he plays up high, he is not as consistent.
5.5 Speed Rush Good when he fires off ball aggressively, but is not consistent shooting gaps to get into backfield
5.5 Errors Does not make mental errors, but has a tendency to play with inconsistent effort, which leads to errors.
ATHLETIC ABILITY Section Grade: 6.5
Watson is a very good athlete, but he only flashes that ability when he plays aggressively and attacks the play. His very quick feet and instinctive anticipation of the snap enable him to burst off the ball and split gaps to get backfield penetration. Has the quickness to accelerate to full speed quickly and the speed to chase down ball carriers along the line of scrimmage. Agility and balance helps him to keep his feet when he protects his legs from cut blocks as he moves through traffic. Has the natural flexibility to bend knees, sink hips and play with good leverage and a wide base at the point of attack. Overall, Watson is a very good athlete with all the physical tools to be a dominant two-gap defensive tackle, but he needs to raise his level of intensity and consistency to become the player he is capable of.
Q.A.B. Quick Feet C.O.D. Flexibility Coordination
6.5 6.5 6.0 6.5 6.5
COMPETITIVENESS Section Grade: 5.0
Watson's toughness is hard to get a good feel for because he rotates in and out of the game often and does not play with any real aggressiveness. When he has been in the game on important snaps, he has flashed the ability to step up his intensity and make plays, but his level of aggressiveness and competitiveness vary just like his overall production. His overall production has been wildly inconsistent -- from very good to non-involved. When he is on, he does a good job of stacking the point of attack, getting an arm free and makes tackles on inside runs. However, the trouble is that too often he pops straight up at the snap, lets blockers get into his chest, does not shed and gets pushed and turned out of the play. Does not consistently hustle and compete hard on every snap, and from the looks of his soft and fleshy physique, there may be a question his willingness to put in the time working in the weight room.
Toughness Clutch Play Production Consistency Team Player Pride/Quit
5.0 5.0 5.5 5.0 5.0 5.0
MENTAL ALERTNESS Section Grade: 5.5
From seeing Watson's good technique when he is focused, he can learn football well -- knows how to play with leverage and good hand use against run blocks and has a variety of pass-rush moves. Has good instincts, which combines with his quick feet to let him burst off the ball quickly when he is focused and playing aggressively. Watson's overall production is greatly hindered by his inability to maintain his focus and concentration throughout games.
Learn/Retain Instincts/Reactions Concentration
6.0 5.5 5.0
STRENGTH/EXPLOSION Section Grade: 6.0
Watson has very good size for a defensive tackle with the thick all-around build that is ideal for playing in the trenches, but his physique is not as solid as it needs to be. His size, natural strength and athletic ability are more than enough for him to be a durable NFL defenside tackle, but his soft, fleshy physique and inconsistent effort on every snap questions his willingness to play through pain to stay in the lineup. He is a naturally explosive player that can burst off the ball and get backfield penetration when he stays focused, but he does not display that explosiveness on every snap. Has excellent natural strength to be a dominant force at the point of attack when he stays focused and plays with leverage, but too often he pops upright, allows the offensive lineman to get into his body and can be driven off the ball by aggressive run blockers.
Body Type Durability Explosion Play Strength
6.5 5.5 6.0 6.0
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/watson_gabriel