2023 Mountain West Football Top 50: #39, Nevada LB Drue Watts
A rising star on the Wolf Pack defense lands a spot on this year’s countdown of Mountain West football’s best performers.
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The future in Reno is here.
After undergoing a major overhaul in their first year under head coach Ken Wilson, Nevada football had a challenging 2022 campaign but still unearthed a few pieces that could be part of the next great Wolf Pack team. Chief among that group: Linebacker Drue Watts, the next player on our list of the Mountain West’s top performers.
Watts took a redshirt as a freshman in 2021, but made nine starts in his first full season of action last fall and appeared in all 12 games for Nevada, finishing the season with 57 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and three sacks. That included an eight-game streak where Watts collected exactly one tackle for loss, providing a consistent threat to opposing backfields all year long.
Heading into 2023, it looks like Watts will be a crucial anchor for a Wolf Pack defense that has significant players to replace both in front of and behind him. Even if Nevada has another uneven season ahead, he also looks well-positioned to continue being a headache for running backs and quarterbacks alike.
Takeaway ➡️ Points
Drue Watts with the pick, and the Pack turns it into Talton's third FG!
Nevada within one, at 17-16!#BattleBorn // #HomeIsNevada pic.twitter.com/LJLFHB0YAE
— Nevada Football (@NevadaFootball) November 27, 2022
