Watkins to make pro debut vs. Chargers
© East County Sports.com
TEMPE, Ariz. (12-31-06) -- Former Grossmont College
All-American receiver TODD WATKINS will make his National
Football League debut this afternoon, when his Arizona
Cardinals travel to San Diego to meet the AFC West champion
Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.
|
Todd Watkins makes the catch
during Oakland Raiders mini-camp in
May 2008, under the watchful eyes of receivers
coach James Lofton
(far left) and head coach Lane Kiffin (center
in background).
|
Watkins, who will wear No. 14, was one of three players
activated from the practice squad to the official 53-man
roster. Also promoted were quarterback Shane Boyd and
receiver Michael Spurlock.
The game will be televised on XETV Chl. 6, with
coverage starting at 1 p.m. Watkins (6-2, 191) was the Cardinals
seventh round (218th overall) selection in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Brigham Young
and was released in the teams final roster cut on September 3. Signed back
to the practice squad the following day, Watkins has spent the first 15 games
of the season on the practice squad. The former Cougars standout, Watkins
amassed 1,605 yards and 13 touchdowns on 94 receptions as a two-year starter (21
games) at BYU. While at Grossmont, he helped the Griffins reach the 2003 California
state championship game as one of the state's leading receivers, who was noted
for his amazing one-handed catches. Boyd (6-1, 232) was signed to
the Cardinals practice squad on September 4 after spending the 2006 training camp
with the Pittsburgh Steelers where was released on September 2. He has been on
the Cardinals practice squad for the first 15 games of the season. Originally
signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Tennessee Titans in 2005 out of
Kentucky, Boyd was released prior to the 2005 regular season by the Titans and
was out of football last year. He signed with Pittsburgh in February, 2006 and
was allocated to NFL Europe with the Cologne Centurions where he completed 100
of 185 passes for 1,139 yards and five touchdowns. Spurlock (6-0, 200)
was originally signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted rookie free agent from
Mississippi this past April. A former college quarterback at Mississippi, Spurlock
was released during the teams final cut on September 3 and was signed to
the practice squad the following day where he has spent the first 15 games of
the season. Converted into a wide receiver, Spurlock played in all 11 games
with eight starts last year at quarterback at Mississippi and had 142 completions
on 267 attempts (53.2%) for 1,703 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Sunday p.m. Update -- Although Watkins was placed on the Cardinals'
official 53-man roster, he was not among the 45 players selected to be listed
as active for the Chargers game. Watkins assigned to practice
squad
© East County Sports.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. (9-3-06) -- Already loaded at wide receiver,
the Arizona Cardinals were seemingly looking to the
future after they selected BYU wideout TODD WATKINS
(Grossmont College) inthe seventh round of last spring's
college player draft. On Saturday (Sept. 2), the Cards
made that move official after playing Watkins and six
others on the team's practice squad.
Arizona's list of wide receivers include veteran returnees Larry
Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin, then the team picked up veteran
Troy Walters in the offseason. However, with a look to the future because of salary
cap circumstances, Watkins or former Notre Dame receiver Carlyle Holiday, who
also was signed to the practice squad, could easily gain a starting berth either
in 2007 or even this season should injuries hit the position. Watkins signed
a three-year contract with the Cardinals following the NFL draft. Watkins
signs with Cardinals
© East County Sports.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. (7-6-06) -- Former Grossmont College
All-American TODD WATKINS became one of two draft picks
to sign with the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday (July
5). Watkins, a seventh-round selection out of Brigham
Young University, joined outside linebacker Brandon
Johnson (5th round) of Louisville to place their signature
on contracts with the NFL ballclub.
The Cardinals' front office made the pair priority
projects to get under contract before training camp begins later this month (July
30) at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz., as Johnson and Watkins
were the first members of Arizona's 2006 draft class to agree to terms. Details
of their respective contracts were not released. Watkins was a two-year
starter at wide receiver for the Cougars and amassed 1,605 receiving yards and
13 touchdowns on 94 receptions. He led the Mountain West Conference with 1,042
yards receiving in 2004, good for the eighth best season total in school history
and the most yards gained by a BYU player since Philadelphia Eagles running back
Reno Mahe's 1,211 yards in 2001. The 6-2, 191-pounder was named
All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention by the NFL Draft Report in 2005
as a senior when he collected 42 receptions for 563 yards and seven touchdowns.
As a junior in 2004, Watkins caught 52 balls for 1,042 yards and six touchdowns
while also being named Associated Press All-American honorable mention and first-team
Mountain West Conference. Arizona will move to the West Valley and
play at brand-new Cardinals Stadium this season. Located across a dry riverbed
from Glendale Arena, home of the NHL Phoenix Coyotes, the air-conditioned facility
has a retractable roof in the same size and shape as the well-known gap in the
roof of Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Watkins
selected by NFL Cardinals
© East County Sports.com
NEW YORK (5-1-06) -- Former community college All-America
receiver TODD WATKINS, who helped Grossmont College
to a No. 3 national ranking to close the 2003 season,
will follow his family's bloodlines and will gain an
opportunity to play professional football after being
selected by the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday's (Apr.
30) seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft. Watkins was
the 218th overall selection.
Watkins
was tabbed an All-America wide receiver by both JC Grid-Wire and J.C. Athletic
Bureau as a sophomore when scored 176 points a receiver-kicker in 14 games for
the Griffins. During his two-year career at Grossmont, Watkins averaged 24.6 yards
on 57 catches. As a kicker, he converted 27 of 34 field goals Watkins
then played his final two seasons of college football at BYU, gaining a berth
in the East-West Shrine Classic where he made a key catch which led to the game-winning
touchdown. Watkins currently is listed at 6-foot-1, 201 pounds,
with a time of 4.44 in the 40. Now, he joins a rising Cardinals
ballclub which also featured the selection of USC quarterback Matt Leinhart, the
10th overall pick in the draft. Watkins' great uncle, Tom Watkins,
is a member of the Iowa State Athletic Hall of Fame after a stellar collegiate
career (1958-1960), then played in the NFL as a running back for four teams, mostly
for the Detroit Lions. In his career (1961-68), he rushed for 1,791 yards and
10 touchdowns, while catching 55 passes for 590 yards and four scores. The elder
Watkins also had stops with the Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
While the great deal of attention -- understandably -- went to USC running
back REGGIE BUSH, Watkins was also a teammate of the Heisman Trophy winner at
Helix High School, along with current San Francisco 49ers quarterback ALEX SMITH.
With the Highlanders, Watkins was a four-sport standout, becoming only
the second person in 25 years at Helix to letter in four different sports as a
senior, including football, soccer, volleyball and track. After
earning all-San Diego Section honors as a receiver and kicker in both his junior
and senior seasons, including a Division II section championship in 2000, Watkins
was a member of the CIF state champion 400 relay in track And his
brother, Travis was a starting guard for USC in 2004.
|
Todd
Watkins celebrates his TD catch against Cal at the Las Vegas Bowl. (BYU
Courtesy photo by Mark Philbrick) | Watkins
-- a Shrine-ing star
NFL stock rises with key grab for winning West TD
© East County Sports.com
SAN ANTONIO (1-22-06) -- Oregon State wide receiver
Mike Hass may have scored the game-winning touchdown,
but if it weren't for BYU receiver TODD WATKINS, the
East may have ultimately captured Saturday's (Jan. 21)
81st edition of the East-West Shrine Game presented
by AT&T.
Watkins, a former Grossmont College
JC All-American by way of Helix High School, made another of his remarkable catches,
collecting a 45-yarder from Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal on the game-winning
drive late in the fourth quarter. The West eventually outlasted the East, 35-31,
at the Alamodome. Watkins, who did not rack up big numbers in the
game, made some crushing downfield blocks and managed to stretch the East defense
enough to draw a key pass interference call. The big play Watkins
made was a leaping grab under the tight coverage of Alabama's Charlie Peprah.
To those who've seen Watkins play, this was a vintage catch few receivers can
match. He virtually screened off the defender, timed his leap perfectly and the
West All-Stars went on to win the game.
DID YOU KNOW? Watkins'
great catch was No. 6 on ESPN Sportscenter's listing of Top Plays! |
Watkins is considered a mid-round pick in the NFL's spring draft. Watkins
completed his career at BYU with 101 career catches for 1,720 yards and 16 touchdowns,
including 1,042 yards in 2004, then nine TDs in 2005 to lead the Cougars. He caught
seven passes in a game three times this past season, including a three touchdown
performance against TCU. Watkins to start at Shrine All-Star Game
© East County Sports.com
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (1-19-06) -- Former Helix High standout
and Grossmont College All-America receiver TODD WATKINS
will complete his college football career Saturday (Jan.
21) as one of 100 players invited to participate at
the 81st annual East-West
Shrine Game presented by AT&T. Starting in 1923,
the game has been annually held in the San Francisco
Bay area for more than 80 years before moving this season
to the Alamodome. ESPN2 will show the game at 1 p.m.
PT..
Watkins
was a pre-season All-America candidate for Brigham Young University entering the
2005 season, finishing the year as the Cougars' third-leading recevier.
He completed the season by playing in the Las Vegas Bowl, catching five
passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in a 35-28 loss to California. For the season,
Watkins led BYU with 10 TD receptions, finishing with 49 grabs for 678 yards.
Watkins is expected to be selected in the NFL draft this spring.
Watkins
shines, but Cal edges BYU at Las Vegas Bowl
© East County Sports.com
LAS VEGAS (12-23-05) -- Former Grossmont College All-American
receiver TODD WATKINS caught a touchdown pass to move
BYU within seven points Thursday (Dec. 22), but Cal
running back Marshawn Lynch answered with his third
touchdown of the game to cap a 194-yard rushing effort,
as the Golden Bears held on to capture the Las Vegas
Bowl, 35-28, at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Lynch
earned the MVP award for his effort, outdistancing Watkins and Bears' wide receiver
DeSean Jackson, who caught a pair of TD passes for the Cougars, who fell short
with their fourth-quarter comeback. Down 35-14, BYU quarterback John Beck
responded with scoring passes to Jonny Harline and Watkins, whose 9-yard scoring
grab with 5:35 left cut Cal's lead to seven points. The Cougars (6-6) got the
ball back with a chance to force overtime, but Beck's arm was hit by Cal lineman
Phillip Mbakogu, as Daymeion Hughes intercepted the wobbling pass to seal the
Bears' second bowl victory in three postseason trips. Watkins finished with
five catches for 93 yards. In this his senior season, Watkins was among the leading
receivers for the Cougars with 49 receptions for 678 and a club-leading 10 TDs.
|