Monday, July 21, 2014

Rookie free agent profile: Trey Watts, RB, Tulsa

Trey Watts 5'9.5” 195
RB, Tulsa

Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 45th-ranked running back, #651 player overall, 7th round-free agent grade.
Nawrocki: 53rd and last RB ranked. Grade: 4.50, solid free agent capable of being invited to an NFL training camp.
Scouts Inc: 50th-ranked RB. Grade: 30, borderline draft prospect.
DraftCountdown.com: 42nd-ranked RB, late round-free agent grade.

Biography/Honors:
2013: First-team all-Conference USA at RB. Led conference in rushing. Led conference in all-purpose yards and was in the top ten in the nation. Played in, and I assume started, all 12 games. 268 rushes for 1,329 yards (5.0 ypc) and 11 TDs. 46 receptions for 395 yards (8.6 ypc) and a TD. Led team in rushing and receiving. Finished season with 5 straight 100-yard rushing games for a total of 8. Averaged 20.7 yards on 9 kickoff returns and 6.7 yards on 22 punt returns (long of 77).
2012: Second team all-Conference USA as a kick returner, honorable mention as a RB. Played in 13 games, starting 6. 186 rushes for 1,108 yards (6.0 ypc) and 3 TDs. 34 receptions for 343 yards (10.1 ypc). Averaged 27.9 yards on 21 kick returns with a TD and 7.0 yards on 22 punt returns with a TD. MVP of conference championship game and Liberty Bowl win over Iowa State.
2011: Honorable mention all-Conference USA. Played in all 13 games, starting 12. 157 rushes for 881 yards (5.6 ypc) and 3 TDs. 31 receptions for 242 yards (7.8 ypc) and 3 TDs. Averaged 24.1 yards on 20 kick returns with a TD.
2010: Played in 11 games, starting 4. 62 rushes for 197 yards (3.2 ypc) and a TD. 20 receptions for 172 yards (8.6 ypc) and 2 TDs.
2009: Redshirted.

Off-field:
Academics: Majored in organizational studies.
Family: Father J.C. played quarterback at Oklahoma from 1979-1981 and played in the CFL for six seasons.
Twitter handle: @trey_the_truth

Injuries:
2013: Played through ankle injury without missing action.
2012: Missed one game due to unspecified injury.
2010: Missed two games due to ankle injury (probable but unconfirmed).

Pro Day Stats: (not invited to NFL Combine)

4.78 40 (4.60)
26.5” vertical jump (RBs at the Combine averaged 34.5”. Watts' jump was 2” worse than the worst jump)
9'2” broad jump (9'11”)
6.94 3-cone drill (7.08)
4.37 20-yard shuttle (4.28)
8 bench press (19 was average at the Combine. Watts would have tied De'Anthony Thomas for last. Players who can't outbench Rams owner Stan Kroenke should probably consider skipping this drill)

Scouting report:
Positives: Versatile runner and receiver with great feet and quickness. Quick to the hole with excellent vision. Has high football IQ, allows his blocks to develop and follows his blockers well. Elusive runner who can put together multiple moves. Effective receiver with good hands, catches well outside of his frame. Good burst and all-around quickness. Plays bigger than his size. Smart, hard worker, an underrated runner with a complete game.

Negatives: Lacks size and speed and his pro day numbers were pretty woeful. Doesn't run with authority. Doesn't break many tackles or gain much yardage after contact.

Compares to: Stepfan Taylor.

Fun Facts: Potential character red flag: Trey's Tulsa football bio lists his favorite NFL team as the Cowboys. His favorite food is pizza, his favorite TV show The Wire and his favorite pro athlete Kevin Durant.

RamView: Have the Rams gotten serious about finding a kickoff returner? Watts is at least the third rookie they've picked up this year with bonafide ability there. Oddly, though, considering they're a running team, the Rams don't tend to keep a lot of RBs around. Watts is really athletically inferior to Benny Cunningham and probably needs Benny to catch a bad case of fumblitis in camp while also either beating out some much quicker people as a kick returner or outplaying Chase Reynolds on coverage units. There's a path to the roster for him, but it's not an especially easy one to follow.

Chance of making team: 15%

Sources: NFL Draft 2014 Preview (Nolan Nawrocki), Draftcountdown.com, DraftInsider.net, Wikipedia, University of Tulsa athletics, ESPN.com, NFLDraftScout.com, CollegeInjuryReport.com, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal-Gazette

Photo: Tulsa World

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