Prospect Watch: Danny Watkins - OG - Baylor

The Bengals O-Line had a very productive 2009 season leading the way to an AFC North title. In 2010 I was expecting much of same thing but the O-Line as a whole outside of Whitworth struggled. I could blame it on the Bengals shifting focus and becoming more of a finesse team while ignoring the success we all enjoyed the previous season. The Bengals O-Line is huge unit that was built to inflict damage in the running game. When they were asked to pass block more than expected this exposed the lack of athletic ability on the O-Line. The pass protection was suspect at best. Needless to say things did not work out. After a dreadful 4-11 season the Bengals need an invasion of talent to rescue the O-Line from the pit of mediocrity they fell into. Games and championships are still won in the trenches people. The Bengals O-Line needs to get better.

Danny Watkins is a massive of a man at 6’4 and 312 pounds who started at left tackle for the Baylor Bears. NFL scouts are buzzing about Watkins' physical and hostile play at left tackle for Baylor. The thing is Watkins is projected by most as a Guard at the next level. Why you ask? His size is less than perfect for an NFL left tackle. Until the Senior Bowl, no scouts had actually seen him play guard. After a monster week of practice in Mobile Watkins might have pushed his stock up into the first round of the NFL Draft. Watkins has a good combination of strength, agility and exceptional technique. His athleticism to reach linebackers at the next level is what makes me think he will be a great RG in the NFL. Watkins was all ready drafted fourth overall in the May 2010 CFL Canadian Draft by his hometown B.C. Lions but he has his sights set on the NFL.

The knock on Danny would be his age and the lack of experience playing football. He is 26 and this will hurt him in the draft but I am not concerned. The fact that he didn’t play football at all in high school will scare away most. Danny played hockey and rugby as prep athlete so it’s not like he afraid of contact. He started playing football in 2007 at the Butte College in Oroville, CA. Watkins tried out for Butte football team after enrolling at the school due to his interest in the local fire academy. Watkins quickly became a Junior College All-American offensive lineman. He was highly rated as a Junior College transfer and picked Baylor to blaze his own path to a pro football career. As a senior in 2010 Watkins earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from numerous publications after leading the team with 134 knockdowns and an average coaches' grade of 90 percent. This young man can play football!

I would love to see two of the Bengals first four selections in the up coming draft spent on improving the interior O-Line. I think Danny could be taken as high as late round 1 or at the top of round four. I think Watkins would be a nice start at fielding a more all around unit while still playing a physical style in 2011.

O-Line gets very little love on YouTube. Here is the two clips worth showing.