Next Man Up: Nakia Watson

Rob Willette Posted On February 14, 2020

Departing

While he was only on campus for three years, it’s hard to imagine the Wisconsin backfield without Jonathan Taylor. After accumulating 968 touches over his three seasons, Taylor is off to the NFL where he will hear his name called on day one or day two, leaving behind a legend that will linger for generations.

While Wisconsin is a strong program with ample talent on both sides of the football, it is hard to overstate Taylor’s impact; he casts a long shadow over his successor.

Next Man Up

Nakia Watson was a high three star recruit per the 247 Sports composite rankings, with the Badgers plucking him out of the heart of Texas. A redshirt year in 2018 was an obvious outcome given the presence of Taylor. He then spent 2019 as the direct backup, earning 331 yards on 74 carries, logging most of his numbers in blowout wins against South Florida, Michigan, and Kent State. We got our first look at Watson this past season, yet not nearly enough to draw many conclusions on how he’ll handle the lead role.

Expecting Watson to shimmy into that role and replicate Taylor’s impact is foolish. Taylor is the most talented back to ever grace the Badger backfield, Melvin Gordon included. What Watson can do is provide a workhorse for a Wisconsin offense which relies heavily on its backs. Only once since 2011 has a Badger lead runner failed to eclipse 200 carries. That was an odd 2015 campaign. Former devy darling Corey Clement got hurt, and Dare Ogunbowale and Taiwan Deal combined for 321 carries.

More succinctly – brevity has never been my strong suit – Watson has a massive opportunity to showcase his wares in 2020.

Taylor is a high-powered sports car with a NOS button conveniently available to him like Vin Diesel’s furiously fast Dominic Toretto. Watson is more of a reliable sedan with great gas mileage.

The Westlake High School product lets his blocking marinate before planting his foot in the ground and becoming a 229 pound locomotive who makes defenders at the second level reevaluate their life choices. Watson plays a simple game, which is stated in a complimentary manner. He seldom wastes effort on east-west movement and keeps the offense on schedule by routinely churning out positive gains.

An absence of receiving work complicated the projection for Taylor during his first two years on campus. He emphatically stamped out doubts in 2019, blitzing past his receiving totals from his first two seasons combined, not just benefitting from dump-offs but showing an ability to make plays in space as a receiver. The same questions will surround Watson until he can prove otherwise.

He caught three passes for a whopping three yards in 2019. His high school tape shows a back with soft hands, though there’s not much to be gleaned from a straightforward high school offense. Paul Chryst and Company made a concerted effort to feature Taylor in the passing game in 2019. Hopefully this trend continues for the sake of all Badger backs.

Of course, we cannot merely anoint Watson the heir apparent. While he was the clear backup in 2019 and now has quality experience, the Badgers have redshirt freshman Julius Davis – who had Notre Dame and LSU offers – as well as do-everything back Garrett Groshek and incoming four star freshman Jalen Berger. It is unlikely Watson simply dominates the backfield like Taylor, but he’s the early favorite to lead what is annually one of the nation’s more potent rushing attacks.

Devy Outlook

All this rambling, and we’ve yet to broach the topic we all care about: devy value.

After years of having a stigma attached to their running backs, Wisconsin has become a hotbed for devy runners. James White and the aforementioned Gordon have become steady contributors for fantasy teams, and Taylor is set to become a first-round rookie pick. If you ignore the heartbreak that was Montee Ball, the Badgers have produced a steady stream of fantasy contributors at the position.

Past precedent does not guarantee future results, however. Watson has a lot to prove before he demands attention in devy drafts. As a composite three-star with modest production in year one, the good news is his cost is far from prohibitive. He went undrafted in three off-season mock drafts. While buzz may build over the summer, we’re not going to have a real handle on his true talent until we see him get extended run in the Badger backfield.

Even as a speculative add, investing in Watson is a leap of faith. While a well-rounded talent, it is fair to question whether he possesses a true standout trait. His game lacks the panache of the backs we’ve seen thrive at the collegiate level the past several seasons. Of course, a big back with adequate athleticism who has a high compete level is someone who can quickly develop, and few programs do a better job of producing quality backs than Wisconsin.

All in all, a lukewarm stance on Watson feels fitting at this juncture. He’s a potential college fantasy football stud whose next-level upside is unknown. John Settle (Wisconsin’s Running Backs Coach) is highly regarded, and Watson’s developmental curve was potentially impacted by Taylor’s presence. Two years in a college weight program can do wonders. His patience, burst, and affinity for a physical game are traits working in his favor. I’m just dubious of it translating into a highly coveted devy asset.