By this time next week, we will be knee deep in to the 2011 NFL Draft. The week countdown has begun. I don't know about you all but even a week seems like too long.
The mock drafts and all of the wild speculation has recently settled to being a little more tamed. A lot of the top ten prospects are looking more and more sure that they will at the very least be top fifteen's. However, I anticipate that there will be plenty of fireworks and surprises this year.
As far as any of us know, there still will be a free agent market this year, even if shortened. But as far as the owners go, as well as player personnel managers, there may not be and they have to assume there won't be. This alone could lead to a lot of reaching for players of need and ignoring the best player available concept.
There are plenty of players that will be drafted in the first round that have mounds of potential. In fact, each one of their respective individual success will rely heavily on the franchises and coaches that select them.
After the jump, we'll look at one of those players in J.J. Watt.
As seen here in the video, Watt plays the game with intense passion. There have been comparisons to both Justin Smith (49ers), and Jared Allen (Vikings). Mostly, where the comparisons are being drawn from is the kids extremely high motor. He is a blue-collar type of player that will not only be drafted for his tangibles but his leadership and moxie that he brings to the table as well.
Here are Watt's career stats:
Stats Overview
Tackles
Misc
Interceptions
YEAR
TOT
SOLO
AST
SACK
STF
STFY
FF
BK
INT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
PD
2009
44
32
12
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
2010
62
43
19
7
0
0
2
0
1
15
15.0
15
0
0
2010 Regular Season Game Log
Tackles
Misc
Interceptions
DATE
OPP
RESULT
TOT
SOLO
AST
SACK
STF
STFY
FF
BK
INT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
PD
9/4
@UNLV
W 41-21
5
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
3
9/11
San Jose State
W 27-14
6
4
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
9/18
Arizona State
W 20-19
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
1
9/25
Austin Peay
W 70-3
3
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
10/2
@Michigan State
L 34-24
10
5
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
1
10/9
Minnesota
W 41-23
6
3
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
10/16
Ohio State
W 31-18
4
4
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
10/23
@Iowa
W 31-30
5
4
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
11/6
@Purdue
W 34-13
3
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
11/13
Indiana
W 83-20
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
11/20
@Michigan
W 48-28
6
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
15
15.0
15
0
1
11/27
Northwestern
W 70-23
7
7
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
2010 Postseason Game Log
Tackles
Misc
Interceptions
BOWL
OPP
RESULT
TOT
SOLO
AST
SACK
STF
STFY
FF
BK
INT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
PD
ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO
@TCU
L 21-19
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0
0
1
Summary: Watt has ProBowl potential. Whether or not he will live up to that will be determined by the team that drafts him. Sometimes there are exceptions to that though. Sometimes players are drafted to teams that have no movement heading in the right direction as far as growth but still wind up in the ProBowl each year. Those players happen to not come around that often. Watt will be one of those players that are not the exception. He's going to have to work his tail off which based off of his collegiate career seems like it will come naturally.
PREDICTION - 1st Round. There is a slight possibility that Watt could slide to the top of the 2nd Round.