At programs around the country, members of the 2014 class have already seen the field, with several of them making important plays for their respective schools. But none was as impressive during the first week of action as Texas A&M Aggies safety Armani Watts.
Texas A&M’s Armani Watts is the impact true freshman of Week 1
On a big stage, the hard-hitting safety delivered.
Grant Halverson
Some other players may have put up bigger stats, like Virginia Tech running back Shai McKenzie, who had a 39-yard touchdown run among his nine carries for 109 yards. But McKenzie's performance came against William & Mary, decreasing its impact.
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And Alabama left tackle Cameron Robinson accomplished the extremely difficult task of becoming the rare true freshman to start at one of the most demanding positions on the field, but his impact was more difficult to measure, and much of the load was carried by the star Crimson Tide running backs.
Competition aside, here’s a snapshot of the journey that Watts took to Columbia, S.C. to become a force in the resounding Aggie victory over the Gamecocks.
A product of North Forney High School in Forney, Tex., Watts was a consensus four-star prospect who excelled on both offense and defense, rating as a top-20 safety nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Truly a playmaker on both sides of the ball, Watts had nine interceptions as a senior, including three passes that he returned for touchdowns. He pledged to the Aggies over offers from programs like Baylor, Clemson, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and UCLA.
Without the benefit of enrolling early, Watts only had fall camp to make his mark and earn a starting job, beating out senior Floyd Raven, Jr. to earn the right to trot out with the top team against South Carolina.
And though Watts only made three tackles during the game, his impact on the contest was far greater. As part of a secondary that had several big breakdowns early in the game, the 5’11, 190-pounder saved a touchdown when South Carolina was still within striking distance just before halftime, trailing 31-14.
While Watts may have been a bit late to react to the wide receiver streaking down the middle of the field, his short-area burst allowed him to close on the ball in the air and deliver a jarring hit just as it arrived in the wide receiver’s hands in the end zone. The ball bounced free and hit the turf harmlessly.
After a sack by fellow freshman Myles Garrett, South Carolina was forced to attempt a 54-yard field goal that missed.
Early in the first quarter, Watts had come up with another resounding hit in the open field. It served early notice to the Gamecock wide receivers that coming across the middle would carry with it the potential for experiencing significant pain.
In the second half, after South Carolina had scored two touchdowns on the two previous possessions, Watts came up with a momentum-halting interception. Instead of the Gamecocks closing the gap further, they never recovered and the rout was on.
Watts also added another hard hit during the game and another pass broken up.
The scariest thing when assessing the performance of the rangy and physical young safety? Just how much better he can become once the game slows down for him.
