Eric Watts, Edge UConn: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Watts was a three-star recruit from Sumter High School in Sumter, S.C. in the class of 2019

Connecticut edge rusher Eric Watts has all of the physical tools teams will look for in the 2024 NFL Draft. His developmental upside makes him a nice day three investment.

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Eric Watts, Edge UConn: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth-year senior defensive end from Sumter, S.C.

Background: Watts was a three-star recruit from Sumter High School in Sumter, S.C. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 1,436 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,303 for On3.com. Watts was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals. He didn’t receive a star rating or grade out of 100 from ESPN. MaxPreps credits Watts with producing 35 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, 8.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in ten games as a high school senior. He led Sumter to county and region championships. Watts earned an invitation to the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. He also lettered in basketball.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games in 2021

Awards: 2022 First Team All-Independent (Phil Steele)

Pros: Special teams experience on the punt return, punt coverage, field goal block, and field goal units, tall and long build, room to add mass throughout frame, arm length (36 1/4 arm, 84 5/8 wingspan), good open field speed, impressive closing burst, good change of direction skills at his size to finish plays once he’s in the backfield, a missile on stunts, showed superior athletic ability vs. Boston College (2022), flashes of powerful arm extensions, long-arm move, rip move, unlocks his hips to help turn the corner, good ankle flexibility, enough bend to get flatten rush angles, beat North Carolina State’s Anthony Belton around the edge (2022), speed to contain outside runs to the near sideline, speed shows up in long pursuit plays, some splash plays against the option

Cons: Age, penalized three times in 2021 and 2022, high-cut frame, late off the line at times, first step explosiveness should improve, pad level needs to be more consistent, playing with better leverage will increase power in his bull rush, pushes too far upfield in the run and pass game, he was unblocked on many of his highlight plays, pass rush plan appears developmental at best, not many pass rush moves or counters in his arsenal, doesn’t redirect into the B-gap when outside rush stalls, bull rush stalls, bend isn’t elite, hand usage needs refinement, instincts are underdeveloped in run defense, ability to anchor at the point of attack is in question, didn’t set a hard edge vs. Michigan (2022), doesn’t quickly shed blocks, sealed by Luke Schoonmaker (2022) in the run game, needs to work down the back of the line faster as a backside run defender

Overview: Watts has special teams experience on the punt return, punt coverage, field goal block, and field goal units. His frame is tall and long, with room to add mass once he reaches an NFL weight room. Watts’ arms are 36 1/4 inches, and his wingspan is 84 5/8 inches, according to the Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy. Connecticut primarily lines Watts up as a 5-tech or a wide-9 in a two-point stance, but he also takes snaps operating from a three-point stance as both a 4 and 5-tech. The fifth-year senior has excellent open field speed, closing burst, and change of direction skills for his size. He is a human missile on stunts. His superior athletic ability was on display against Boston College (2022) when he out-athleted the offensive line for most of the game. Unfortunately, Watts lacks the technical development and polish to complement his physical tools. He lacks an arsenal of pass rush moves and counters, relying primarily on basic bull rush, long-arm, and rip moves that are inconsistent at best. Despite the South Carolina native’s experience, his pass rush plan is still in its developmental stages. His inconsistent pad level and lean lower half rob him of power in his bull rush, causing it to stall out. Many of his highlight plays as a pass rusher come when he’s unblocked or on hustle plays when the quarterback holds the ball too long. Watts pushes too far upfield against the run and pass instead of countering into the B-gap. His arm extensions pack some power, but his punches and hand placement need refinement. Watts offers good bend for his size. He unlocks his hips to turn the corner and has good ankle flexibility. His bend allows him to flatten his rush angle to the quarterback, which helped produce a win against North Carolina State’s Anthony Belton (2022). However, Watts’ high-cut frame, inconsistent timing of the snap, and mediocre first step hinder his ability to win around the edge. His bend is good but far from elite. The three-star recruit’s speed and burst show up on long pursuit plays or opportunities to chase outside runs to the near sideline. Watts also uses his change of direction and speed to make plays against RPOs, but his instincts against the run are underdeveloped. He doesn’t have the power and stout lower half to handle double teams or anchor the point of attack. He doesn’t shed blocks quickly and struggled against Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker (2022).

Overall, Watts has the technical development and polish of a late day three pick, but his upside as a traits-based prospect could elevate him as high as the fifth round. Watts needs a year or two in the weight and film rooms at the next level to begin fulfilling his physical potential.

Role & Scheme Fit: Developmental 5-tech in a 4-3 scheme

Round Projection: Late Fifth to Mid Sixth

Size: 6'5", 277 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 08-29-23