KC Chiefs 7-round mock draft: Fixing Kansas City’s defense

4.102: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Christian Watson is currently a wide receiver at the alma mater of Carson Wentz and Trey Lance: North Dakota State. Now despite the school not really being a top school in the country, that hasn’t slowed the hype around Watson’s name.

There are some people who’ve been comparing Watson to Randy Moss, which is ridiculous, but the idea behind the comparison isn’t so bad. He does have similar traits, but you have to dial it back when making pro comparisons like that. But in this mock draft, he is a Kansas City Chief, so let’s hope that he does eventually get there.

Measurables

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 211 lbs.

Hand Size: 10 inches

Arm Length: 32 3/4 inches

Wingspan: 77 1/8 inches

Strengths

Christian Watson is one of the few players in this draft that can make you question everything you thought you knew. By that I mean he is extremely tall and yet he moves in between tackles like he’s Tyreek Hill or Mecole Hardman. It’s fun to watch.

Watson obviously doesn’t jump off the page when people are trying to find someone to scout given the fact that he’s not exactly a well-known receiver in the class but he should be. He has very good athletic traits such as speed, his contest catch, his run after the catch, and his tackle shedding ability. Most of those go hand-in-hand, but they are different traits.

As a 6’5″ wide receiver, they are generally held to a one-dimensional play style, but not Watson. He will make the most out of any play given to him, and he has been used in multiple different ways. Whether it’s a quick screen, RPO, deep ball, swing route, or wheel routes, there are no limits to his game.

Another part of his game that goes underrated is his route running. Watson is one of the more underrated route runners in this draft and I don’t really know why.  He constantly finds a way to get open and beat his guy using different route variations, double-moves, and changing the tempo of his routes. He plays his game very smart in that manner, and it works.

Here are a couple of clips that show what I’ve been talking about so far.

https://twitter.com/LukeCarrNFL/status/1488957468793257992

Weaknesses

For every good trait, there is usually a balance whether we see it or not. In this case, I was able to see it. Coming from North Dakota State, you’d maybe think that quarterback play would be a problem. In his time there, that wasn’t the case.

Christian Watson was able to play with former first-round pick Trey Lance for two years before he declared for the NFL draft. Now it’s Watson’s turn but he won’t be going first overall.

Watson although there are a lot of good things about his game, the one thing that constantly shows on film is the lack of concentration. He has a tendency to lose focus on the ball and will make ridiculous drops.

Furthermore, his route running, on routes that lead to him cutting outside or making a double-move before breaking off, he does have slow cuts that could be a problem at the next level. It’s already noticeable at the collegiate level so I’m sure it’s going to be an even bigger concern in the NFL. However, given his ability to go up and get it, and the versatility he offers, a good coach can work around that for sure.

How He Fits With the Kansas City Chiefs

Over the last couple of seasons, there has been something missing from the Chiefs’ offense. Well, maybe it’s just me who feels this way but I feel there has definitely been something missing. That’s where Watson comes into play.

So full disclosure, when this pick came up, there were about three other receivers that I have ranked higher than Watson on the board. So I’m sure you’re asking why I chose Watson over them? It’s because Watson fits what we’ve been missing.

Now, there is nothing wrong with Hardman and/or Bryon Pringle, but they aren’t what we need. Even when Sammy Watkins was here, he wasn’t what we need. What the Kansas City Chiefs need is a guy who can go up and get it. The Chiefs thought they had that in Chris Conley, but well, we all know how that worked out. However, I don’t think that’ll be the case with Watson.

Watson is versatile and has the necessary traits to become a true wide receiver two behind Hill in this Chiefs offense.