Representing the state of Illinois, Myles Watson is an active and disruptive force in the interior. He plays with great awareness and is a brick wall against the run.
In August, GMTM’s Joey Grant and former USC quarterback Max Browne evaluated his tape live on Twitch. Here’s what they thought:
The first thing that stands out with Myles is his get off. His first step is explosive off the ball, making him a difficult player to block. On this play, he quickly gets into the offensive lineman's body and drives him back two steps before disengaging and chasing down the ball carrier for a loss.
He is an active defender, and Joey called out that he does a great job of threading the creases in the run game. A successful rushing attack begins with the O-Line preventing penetration, but Myles does a great job of finding those creases and blowing up plays in the backfield.
215 X 20
— Myles Watson 6' 248 DT/DE (@MylesWatson14) 5Etfw">November 30, 2020
Don’t doubt the upcoming beast🤫5Etfw">@EDGYTIM 5Etfw">@CoachBigPete 5Etfw">@ChrisCoulter_WF 5Etfw">@CoachJMann919 5Etfw">@CoachMashack 5Etfw">@17NickHill 5Etfw">@CoachBHen 5Etfw">@CoachJacq 5Etfw">@CoachK_Hall 5Etfw">@Coach_Joiner 5Etfw">@CoachP_SIU 5Etfw">@Tigerpride53 5Etfw">@NIUCoachHammock 5Etfw">@DerekHoodjer 5Etfw">@CoachRasheed 5Etfw">@Coach_Heacock 5Etfw">@_CoachElliott pic.twitter.com/jBg0bK1JHd
Watson’s motor is unrelenting, as he refuses to quit on plays and can be seen chasing down running backs in the backfield on multiple occasions. He has nimble feet, which allow him to maintain through contact and continue to make an impact on the play.
He pairs that with great, active hands, which shines positively on his potential development as a pass rushing force from the interior. As he continues to develop his hand-fighting and adds counter moves, he should take the next step to an impact player on every down.
Myles is always playing with his eyes in the backfield and shadowing the cuts and moves that the offensive players are making in an effort to be proactive and get to holes before the ballcarrier to blow up the play.
On this play, he sniffs out the screen and nearly picks it off before making the tackle for a loss. This shows off his football awareness, which is a huge key for him to be successful at the next level. Understanding how the offense will try to react to the defense allows him to stay one step ahead disruptive.
Gyms might be closing, but it ain’t stopping me!5Etfw">@EDGYTIM 5Etfw">@CoachBigPete 5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneIL 5Etfw">@Coach_Hammock 5Etfw">@NIU_Football 5Etfw">@CoachJMann919 5Etfw">@17NickHill 5Etfw">@SIU_Football 5Etfw">@RedbirdFB 5Etfw">@CoachGigli 5Etfw">@Mitch_Lepp42 5Etfw">@nickgrace74 5Etfw">@CoachNiekamp 5Etfw">@EIUPantherFB 5Etfw">@humbled_36 5Etfw">@WIUfootball pic.twitter.com/0J522ayJAo
— Myles Watson 6' 248 DT/DE (@MylesWatson14) 5Etfw">November 17, 2020
Key Takeaways:
• Watson has a great motor and remains active against both the run and the pass
• Great get off on the snap allows him to shoot the gaps and penetrate to blow up run plays and get tackles for loss
• Shows football awareness and the ability to adjust to what the offense is trying to accomplish and make big plays for the defense
Myles Watson has all of the intangibles you would want in a defensive lineman. He is an active, willing defender who does not take plays off and is a constant presence in the opponents backfield.
Accepted✍️
— Myles Watson 6' 248 DT/DE (@MylesWatson14) 5Etfw">November 24, 2020
Hope to be given a chance!5Etfw">@Coach_Etheridge 5Etfw">@CoachK_Stew 5Etfw">@CoachBHen 5Etfw">@CoachK_Hall pic.twitter.com/V1Ud4JcIj3
As he continues to develop his array of pass rushing moves, he flashes the potential to become an impact player along the defensive line on all three downs and will improve whatever program he ends up with.
Check out more player evaluations from Max and Joey on YouTube.
