Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur likes the combination of size, athleticism, selflessness as a blocker and intelligence of new receiver Christian Watson, the team’s second-round pick.
The Packers traded up 19 spots – giving up both second-round picks – to get Watson at No. 34 overall. LaFleur sounds like a coach excited about everything Watson can bring to the table as a receiver in his offense.
“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical,” LaFleur said. “One thing I really liked was, when you watch him block, I think that says a lot about a player, especially at that position. We know those guys, they want to go there and get the big plays, but what are they willing to do for their teammates? I watched his run-blocking reel, just to see the effort he gave, down in and down out, in that aspect of the game, I mean, we can always use somebody like that. Especially when you’re talking about a 6-4 guy, over 200 pounds, runs sub-4.4. So there’s a lot to be excited about there.”
Watson looks like the perfect fit for what the Packers needed.
Blocking is vital to the LaFleur offense, both on the perimeter in the passing game (see: quick screens) and from multiple alignments in the run game. Watson checks the box there after playing multiple seasons at North Dakota State, a run-heavy program.
“Oh, he’s excellent,” Packers director of football operations Milt Hendrickson said. “To his credit, for his size, he’s not just a vertical threat, he’ll put his hands on people. As you guys know, the way coach preaches to our receivers, they have to be able to block.”
His incredible blend of size and speed will provide a chance to immediately become LaFleur’s go-to deep threat. Last month, LaFleur noted the offense’s need for speed after losing Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Mission accomplished with Watson, who runs like the wind and was a consistently productive deep threat for the Bisons. Last season, almost half of his receiving yards came on passes thrown over 20 yards in the air, per PFF.
The Packers brought Watson to Green Bay for one of the team’s Top 30 visits before the draft. LaFleur joked with Watson about his interactions with his brother, Mike, who coached at the Senior Bowl as a member of the Jets staff.
A chance for LaFleur to be around Watson over the course of a day gave him a good feeling about him as a player and person.
“We got a good chance to sit down with him here, he came up for one of our 30 visits. You can tell he’s a smart guy, so I think he’ll pick it up pretty quickly,” LaFleur said.
Speed is the name of the game for Watson. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds, with an incredible 1.45-second 10-yard split. He’s one of the fastest and most athletic receivers in the class. At the Senior Bowl, he was timed as one of the fastest on-field players during practice and the game.
“You look at the play speed on tape. Obviously, Christian put a 4.3 forty, so he’s flying,” LaFleur said.
Watson is also versatile. He played snaps at running back for NDSU, and he was an All-American kick returner. In LaFleur’s offense, Watson could be used as a perimeter deep threat, gadget weapon or even in the backfield.
“You have to know where that kid is at every time he’s on the field,” Hendrickson said.
The next big step is getting Watson and the rookie class to Green Bay and putting them on the grass in a practice environment. The Packers picked three wide receivers, including Romeo Doubs in the fourth round and Samori Toure in the seventh. Watson, in particular, has a terrific opportunity to contribute right away with Davante Adams in Las Vegas and Valdes-Scantling in Kansas City.
“We are excited about the talent they possess, and the potential for those guys,” LaFleur said. We’re going to push them hard, and hopefully they can pick it up quickly and we’ll implement them into our scheme.”
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