Green Bay Packers Visited w/ Big Play NDSU WR Christian Watson
By Paul Bretl
Typically when I begin these articles, I lay out why the Green Bay Packers would be interested in targeting the specific position in the draft. However, when it comes to wide receiver, there is no need to really deep dive into that—we all know it is a must.
What I will say is that in addition to simply adding needed depth to the position, specifically, the Packers need a go-to option on the boundary, more YAC, along with a vertical threat—which from Day 1, is what NDSU’s Christian Watson could provide.
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Watson has visited with a number of teams, including the Green Bay Packers.
Watson’s draft stock has been skyrocketing since the Senior Bowl, where he was a standout performer all week. Watson’s draft stock also got another boost at the combine, where he measured in at 6’4” – 208 pounds and posted 9.96 on the RAS scale, including a 4.36-second 40-yard dash along with elite measurements in the vertical and broad jumps, showcasing his explosiveness.
In the run-heavy NDSU offense, Watson was a big play just waiting to happen at receiver. He was targeted 145 times over his four-year playing career, hauling in 84 of those attempts while averaging a ridiculous 21.3 yards per catch, according to PFF ($$).
If at the FBS level, Watson’s 4.28 yards per route run in 2021 would have been the second-most among all receivers. He also averaged 8.2 YAC per catch, which would have ranked 26th. This past season was his most productive as he totaled 740 yards on 39 receptions with seven touchdowns.
As I’ve mentioned before, having a true vertical threat in this Green Bay Packers offense is a must. In addition to the big-play ability, that element creates better spacing overall in the passing game and helps create for other pass catchers as well with the safeties protecting against the downfield play.
While that may be Watson’s quickest path to contributing on offense early on in his NFL career, there is a lot more that he can offer the Green Bay Packers, whether that be as a gadget player with that speed of his, a big target, and large catch radius over the middle and in the red zone, along with being a kick returner, where he averaged 26.4 yards per return during his 26 career attempts. He is also a willing blocker, which we know is an important element in this Packers offense.
Now for more on Watson, Drae Harris of The Draft Network had this to say:
"“In the passing game, he is extremely tough to cover. He can defeat press with foot quickness and has surprisingly good vertical speed. His home-run speed threatens a defender’s cushion quickly. He does a good job of dropping his weight while displaying the separation quickness at the top of the route. He has a very good catch radius and is a matchup problem in contested-catch situations. He can contort his body to make tough catches and is dynamic with the football in his hands.”"
From a fit standpoint, Watson seems like a very Green Bay Packers-type of selection. He’s a big-bodied receiver who tested incredibly well, and in the Matt LaFleur offense, he would be a true weapon with his speed and LaFleur’s ability to get his pass catchers in space. Watson also adds an element to the receiver room — his ability to win downfield along with his speed — that Green Bay just doesn’t have at the moment.
Recent mock drafts from Todd McShay, Mel Kiper, and Lance Zierlein, all of Watson being selected in the first round—although it’s worth noting that Watson, who turns 23 before the NFL season begins, is a bit on the older side, and the Packers have selected only one first round prospect since 2015 who was over 21 years old. That happened last year when Green Bay picked Eric Stokes.