2024 Exclusive Sneak Peek: Blake Watson, RB Memphis
Welcome to the Exclusive Sneak Peek. Blake Watson was a 2-star prospect who graduated from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina. He initially committed to Old Dominion in July 2017 and played for them for most of his college career. However, at the end of the 2022 season, he transferred to Memphis.
Although he did not play during his freshman year, in 2019, he averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 25 attempts.
During his redshirted sophomore season, he had a breakout year, amassing 1,112 yards with an average of 5.2 yards per carry.
In his third season of playing, he saw limited opportunities, yet he still managed to gain over 1,000 all-purpose yards. He showcased his receiving abilities with 37 receptions for 314 yards.
In his final year of college football, he sported a new Memphis Tigers uniform and was eager to make an impact. During his one season with the team, he achieved a career-high 6.0 yards per carry on 192 attempts. Not only that, but he also had a record-breaking 53 receptions for 480 yards. Additionally, he scored a total of 17 touchdowns, which was almost double his previous career-high of 9 touchdowns during his sophomore season.
Measurables
NCAA Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2022 | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | JR | 11 | 158 | 918 | 5.8 | 5 | 37 | 314 | 8.5 | 2 | 195 | 1232 | 6.3 | 7 | |
| *2023 | Memphis | American | SR | RB | 13 | 192 | 1152 | 6.0 | 14 | 53 | 480 | 9.1 | 3 | 245 | 1632 | 6.7 | 17 |
| Career | Overall | 350 | 2070 | 5.9 | 19 | 90 | 794 | 8.8 | 5 | 440 | 2864 | 6.5 | 24 | ||||
| Old Dominion | 158 | 918 | 5.8 | 5 | 37 | 314 | 8.5 | 2 | 195 | 1232 | 6.3 | 7 | |||||
| Memphis | 192 | 1152 | 6.0 | 14 | 53 | 480 | 9.1 | 3 | 245 | 1632 | 6.7 | 17 | |||||
Scouting Reports
Strengths
- Good hands. Each year he has shown his receiving abilities with over 100 receptions in 4 years of playing.
- He makes a great initial burst once the ball is snapped, which enables him to hit the hole quickly.
- He displays patience and efficiency, evading tackles with speed and quickness to gain 5-10 yards.
- Straight line speed. He has the speed to get outside, but his runs up the middle are more effective with his vertical speed.
- Good contact balance. He can bounce off defenders, keeping his feet moving to gain the extra yards.
Weaknesses
- He displays good footwork at the line of scrimmage but does not frequently make cuts or jukes to avoid defenders. Instead, he relies on his contact balance to break away from them.
- Speed does not match the 40-yard dash time. Defensive backs are able to catch up to Watson.
- His toughness is great, but he lacks the ideal size for an every-down back. It might be best in change-of-pace scenarios.
Pre-Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital: Late Round 5
Ideal Landing Spot: Kansas City Chiefs
Blake Watson would be the ideal complement to the Chiefs’ running game, playing the role that they originally intended for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. As the lead running back, Pacheco will be relied upon for power runs on first and second downs. Watson, on the other hand, would make an excellent change of pace back and relieve Pacheco when needed. Additionally, Watson’s quickness off the snap could make him a top target for Mahomes on third down plays, similar to Jerrick McKinnon’s role.
Pairing him up with Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the league, would be so much fun to watch, especially since he can be effective in the passing game.
