The Green Bay Packers didn’t draft a wide receiver in the first round, but they did snatch up one of the most athletic pass-catchers the 2022 class had to offer. Brian Gutekunst parted ways with two draft picks to trade up and select Christian Watson with the 34th overall pick, making him the team’s highest draft pick at wide receiver since Javon Walker in the 2002 NFL draft. They hope that Watson will become the next great Packers receiver to come out of the second round.
At this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, Watson became the only wideout to measure in at 6-4 and run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash over the last decade. According to Kent Lee Platte, he earned a relative athletic score of 9.96, putting him in the top 15 among receivers since 1987. Green Bay is known to have a type for tall and fast wide receivers.
However, Watson is more than just a great tester and physical specimen. His talent was on full display over a terrific five-year career at North Dakota State, producing more than 3,200 career all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns as a receiver, rusher, and returner. Watson’s ability to contribute in so many ways attracted him to the Packers and could maximize his impact as a rookie.
Obviously, what Watson can do as a receiver is most important. Green Bay no longer has Davante Adams and needs someone to emerge as a go-to target for Aaron Rodgers. That could be Watson, who certainly has a lot of desirable traits. For starters, he can accelerate effortlessly and take the top off a defense, making him an immediate deep threat. Don’t be surprised if Watson gets some of the downfield looks Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw during his first four seasons. In his first year, Valdes-Scantling caught 38 passes for 581 yards and two touchdowns. I’d say this is a good baseline for Watson, who is a more pro-ready prospect.
Watson is far from perfect as his route running needs more work, but that’s where Matt LaFleur’s system will be a big help. LaFleur’s offense is not heavily reliant on winning one on ones. Instead, there will be opportunities to get Watson the ball in space using screens, drags, and crossers, allowing him to use his run after the catch skills to create explosive plays. The Bison credited him with 57 plays that went for over 20 yards, which comprised 32% of his career touches.
Some of those were done through gadget plays. It was not uncommon for Watson to receive a jet sweep or take an end-around or reverse for a sizable gain. He finished his college career with 49 rushing attempts for 392 yards for an average of 8.0 yards per carry. Even as a rookie, Watson could invigorate LaFleur’s creative juices. The Packers’ head coach and offensive orchestrator has implemented gadget concepts in the past and now has a versatile weapon capable of doing much more.
It would be a disservice not to mention Watson’s run blocking. Not only is he capable, but he welcomes the opportunity to free up rushing lanes for teammates. Watson uses his imposing size to latch onto defensive backs and even linebackers. This aspect of his game will help keep him on the field in 2022.
Of course, we also have to mention his return abilities. Watson accumulated 686 kickoff return yards in college and tied the school record with two kickoff return touchdowns. Expect him to compete for these duties right away, especially with the struggles Green Bay dealt with last season. They averaged just 17.7 yards per kick return in 2021, which ranked 30th in the league. Ideally, Watson will take over these duties without the Packers ever having to look back. It is also not out of the realm of possibility for him to try his hand at punt returning, even though it is not something he did in college.
In conclusion, it is nearly impossible to guess what Watson’s numbers might look like next season. Rookie receivers are unpredictable in nature, but the expectations are still high for Watson in a wide receiver room that lacks a true number one. Luckily, Watson should see extensive playing time on offense and special teams, granting him plenty of opportunities to make an immediate impact.
