The 6’4″ superhuman athlete, WR from NDSU, is drastically boosting his draft stock. The WR, Christian Watson, is possibly the “Hidden Gem” that is starting to shine.

Why No One Saw It Coming

When you look at hidden gems, you look at stats, high-injury concerns, physical attributes, mental concerns, coaching/QB status, teammates and all-around smaller division schools going against mid-level opponents.
For Christian Watson, it was the stats.

Watson recorded …

In 2018
Receptions: 9
Yards: 165
Averaged: 18.3y
Touchdowns: 0

In 2019
Receptions: 34
Yards: 732
Averaging: 21.6y
Touchdowns: 6

In 2020
Receptions: 18
Yards: 437
Averaging: 24.3y
Touchdowns: 1

In 2021
Receptions: 43
Yards: 800
Averaging: 18.6y
Touchdowns: 7

2021 is definitely where things started to come together for him, and for former QB Trey Lance.
The stats say it all!

What Made Him Rise So Quickly?

The annual Combine is usually where players “Show Up”, when things you don’t see on the playing field are put to the test. For Christian Watson, he carved his name clear across the board. For him, this was gym class. Christian ran a 4.36 on the forty-yard dash. He had a 38.5″ vertical jump and a 11’4″ broad jump, one of the longest in Combine history. He accomplished these numbers, with a stature of 6’4″ and being 210 pounds.

What Does This Mean For The Draft?

Watson, who initially seemed to be a lock for an early fourth, or even a second-round pick, has basically pinpointed himself as a guaranteed second, or even first round pick. He might not end up being the tenth overall pick, but we have seen crazier things!