Postseason Awards
2016 CCA All-America (second team)
2016 Associated Press Little All-America (third team)
2016 CCA All-Super Region One (first team)
2016 All-PSACÂ West (second team)
2015 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region One (third team)
2015 All-PSAC West (second team)
GENERAL: Named preseason All-American by both Lindy's Sport and Street & Smith's ... One of the most experienced Crimson Hawks with 34 career games played and 30 starts ... Has started each of IUP's last 24 games at cornerback ... Heads into final season averaging 1.21 passes defensed per game ... 30 career pass breakups is among the most in school history.
2016: Put together finest season of career, earning All-American honors by the Associated Press and the Conference Commissioners Association ... Named second team All-American by the CCA and third team by the AP ... Also earned first team All-Super Region One honors and was a second team All-PSAC West selection … Watkins ended the season as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) leader and tied for third in Division II with a career-high seven interceptions … The seven picks are tied for the ninth highest mark in single season IUP history, and are the most for the program since Akwasi Owusu-Ansah intercepted eight passes in 2008 ... He broke up 10 additional passes for a total of 17 passes defensed in 12 starts on the season ... Returned a fumble 49 yards for a touchdown against Slippery Rock ... Also picked off a pass against SRU … Had three straight games with an interception (Mercyhurst, Bloomsburg, at Fairmont State) ... Defensed three passes on three occasions - at Cheyney, Seton Hill, at Fairmont State ... Totaled 49 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.
2015: Returned to the lineup as a full-time starter as the boundary corner after missing nearly all of 2014 due to injury … Started all 12 games for the Crimson Hawks … Earned second team All-PSAC West and third team All-Super Region One honors … Finished second in the PSAC and in a tie for sixth in Division II with 1.7 passes defended per game … His 16 pass breakups set a new single season IUP record … Added four interceptions, which led the team … Eighth on the team with 43 total tackles, including 25 solo stops … Broke up or intercepted a pass in 10 of 12 games … Had season-high four pass breakups against Lock Haven … Interceptions came against Kutztown, Edinboro, Gannon and Shepherd … His pick in IUP’s win over Gannon came at midfield with the Golden Knights driving with just over 2:00 left in the game … Watkins’ interception in the playoff loss to Shepherd came just before the end of the first half, picking off the region’s top quarterback Jeff Ziemba at the IUP six yard line to keep the Rams out of the end zone … Helped the IUP defense lead the PSAC in scoring at 17.8 points per game and total defense at 312.4 yards per game … The IUP pass defense ranked third in the conference by giving up just 208.1 yards per game and ranked 16th in Division II with a 103.31 pass efficiency.
2014:Â Played in just one game due to injury...Started season-opener at cornerback against Saint Augustine's (9/6), registering one tackle and one pass breakup.
2013: Saw immediate playing time as a true freshman, playing in nine games while starting five at cornerback…Finished the year with 19 tackles, including 13 solo stops…Broke up three passes and picked up a fumble and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown against Millersville (10/5)…Made first career start against Cheyney, posting a season-high six tackles (9/14)…Had five tackles, including four solo, at Slippery Rock (10/12)…Saw time in the offensive backfield in the season opener, carrying the ball once at Southern Connecticut State (9/7).
High School: Recorded 1,500 yards rushing and 27 touchdowns in 2012 at Hyde Woodstock...All-Conference and All-New England.
Personal Profile...If you didn’t play your sport, which other would you choose: Basketball...Favorite room in your house: Bedroom...If you could let another person take your place as an athlete, who would it be and why: My brother just because...What’s on your playlist before a game: Meek Mill, Gotti, French Montana...Favorite person you follow on any social media site and why: Dez Bryant because he's my favorite player...Cats or dogs: Dogs...If you could be the head coach of a team for a year, what team would you choose and why: Dallas Cowboys because they're my favorite team...Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi...One of your greatest accomplishments as an athlete: Breaking my schools' touchdown record and punt return record...When did you start playing football: Five years old...Why IUP: I felt welcomed...Favorite fast food restaurant: Wendy's...How do you spend your days off from football: Chill with friends...Favorite Gatorade flavor: Grape...What’s the best advice you were ever given: Never give up...Favorite pro-athlete: Kobe Bryant...Favorite pro sports team: Dallas Cowboys...If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it: Nice house, nice cars, give to parents.
