Looking ahead to the 2018 draft, Anthony Crane identifies a defensive back to watch this year as a potential Chiefs future fit.
This week, my travels around the country to find the next batch of Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 NFL Draft takes me to College Station, Texas. Texas A&M safety Armani Watts decided to return to college for his senior season and is projected as a second or third round pick.
Watts was a four-star safety coming out of North Forney High School in Forney, Texas. The Texas native had great measurables coming out of high school, bench pressing 250 pounds, squatting 375 and ran a 4.5 40 yard dash. Watts left high school at 5’11” and 185 pounds.
As a senior, Watts recorded 64 tackles and 9 interceptions. Those 9 interceptions led him to be voted first team all-state. Watts received offers from 10 schools his senior season before deciding on Texas A&M.
Freshman Season
Watts started in 12 games as a freshman at A&M. He showed his ability to find the football in his first ever college game–recording his first interception against South Carolina. The true freshman finished the season with three interceptions and 55 total tackles (4.5 per game). As great as Watts was, he did not receive SEC All-Freshman honors, thanks to a guy named Jamal Adams.
Sophomore Season
Kansas City Chiefs
Watts followed up a stellar freshman season with a maybe even more impressive sophomore campaign. Armani had just one interception in his second season, but Watts did average nine and a half tackles per game (finishing with 126) and forced two fumbles.
Junior Season
History would tell you that Watts was revving up for a huge junior campaign. Watts began the season with a seven tackle and one sack performance in a win against UCLA. He averaged six tackles per game over the season, including a 12 tackle performance against Mississippi State. Unfortunately, that eighth game would be his final of the 2016 season due to a foot injury.
Senior Season
Though the Aggies have been a bit of a joke so far this season, Watts has been spectacular through the team’s first two games. In their 45-44 loss to UCLA, Watts led the team with 13 tackles and a forced fumble. In the team’s second game, Watts had nine tackles and ANOTHER forced fumble.
Why the Chiefs?
The Chiefs have a lot of talent in their secondary and safety is one of the deepest positions on the team. But.Ron Parker will be 31 at the start of the 2018 campaign and Eric Berry will be coming off of his second major leg surgery. The Chiefs can save $5 million by cutting Parker and going with a younger player.
Watts is a ballhawk who has proven that he can improve on his tackling. In 2016, quarterbacks had a QB rating of 39.4 when targeting him. However, there is another option for any team who decides to draft Watts. Armani is a bit smaller than your average NFL safety–standing 5’11” and 205 pounds. Watts has been known to move down to the slot position and corner may be a good role for him at the next level. Watts allowed a QB rating of 54 in the slot position.
If injuries and the way of the NFL has taught us anything, it’s that teams can never have enough help in the secondary, and I believe that will be a position of need heading into 2018.