With the 206th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns turn to the defensive side of the ball by selecting Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson.
This past season with the Bulldogs, Watson racked up a massive 13 tackles for loss and 10 sacks from the second level. That type of production is almost unheard of from a linebacker. A sure tackler, Watson missed only five percent of his tackles in 2023.
His body of work on special teams screams that Watson is a player who will contribute in some capacity as a rookie.
Coming in at 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds, Watson is known for his ability to blitz along the interior and defend the run. Sounds like a guy who used to play in Cleveland and just signed with New England in free agency in Sione Takitaki.
Could Watson become the SAM linebacker in Cleveland as early as 2024? Could he then eventually grow into an every-down linebacker?