Packers get Aaron Rodgers a new weapon in NDSU WR Christian Watson | PFF Draft Show
The PFF team discusses the Green Bay Packers selection of North Dakota State WR Christian Watson in the 2nd Round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Video Transcript
- Well, you better hope year two and year three is good.
- Oh.
- Because it's Christian Watson.
- Well, the comp for him--
- OK, here we go. Yeah--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
- Now he's got to believe.
- They drafted two guys whose comps were actual Packers. So--
- Is that what you used too?
- Yeah,
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
- In my notes I had the same thing.
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling's the comp. So obviously they lost the speed threat with Green Bay. You know With the receivers they have on the roster right now, they are just not a fast offense. Christian Watson ran a 4.36 at the combine. He is the most athletic wide receiver in this draft class-- 6' 4", 208, 4.36, 1.45 10 split, 11' 4" for broad jump. The guy is explosive.
But he is not too much more on tape. And for all that size that he has, 6' 4", 208, he got bodied at the catch point too often, only 30% contested catch rate over the course of his career. And the number that worries me the most that I am scared of year one, year two, whatever year he's in the NFL, 13.3% drop rate over the course of his career, a ton of drops on his tape.
- It is Valdes-Scantling, but isn't.
- The problem with replacing Valdes-Scantling is you haven't replaced-- and it's hard to replace the other guy, Davante Adams. But you can find a player who can work those similar areas that Davante Adams does. Whereas with Christian Watson, you're only replacing MVS. That would be my concern, really. And you could have done that with Skyy Moore or George Pickens, like, more of the intermediate short passing game. I don't know. There's just not enough on tape to tell you that Christian Watson can do that.
- So the haul right now for the Green Bay Packers, it's Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, and Christian Watson. They feel like very Packers players. For as much as you might not like the value of where they were picked, this feels like a pretty on-brand draft for the Packers.
- They are athletic. I mean, they got a elite linebacker athlete, an elite defensive tackle athlete, an elite wide receiver athlete. They have gotten more athletic. The other worrisome aspect, though, to Watson is just build wise. There are not a lot of tall, skinny wide receivers getting it done at high level. In fact, there's only been one Pro Bowler in the last 21 years who weighed in at 6' 4", 6' 5" and 200-- between 200, 215 pounds, which is the range Chris Christian Watson falls into.
Like, tall and skinny is not a good combination in the NFL. Cornerbacks can get their hands on you really easily, push you off your route. So a little worrisome. He's probably just going to be the deep threat in this offense.
- Now, we-- we've got the Tennessee Titans on the clock now. But I did want to mention-- I said that they were Packers-types of players that we mentioned. Devonte Wyatt sort of isn't because he's older, right? And Brian Gutekunst normally drafts much younger players.
- Watson's about to turn 23.
- So-- right. And so I guess actually that part of it, the age part of it, a little different here.