had just won a national championship with the 2017 Clemson Tigers. He had played in Fiesta Bowl with a Tigers defense that shut out Ohio State 31-0 in the semifinals.
The defensive lineman wanted to showcase his skills and accepted his invitation to play in the Senior Bowl game later just two weeks after hoisting a championship trophy with his teammates.
“For guys who are debating on it, whether or not to play in it, I would tell guys to play in it,” Watkins said on Texans Radio last month. “It’s a good experience because you’re playing against the best of the best, like seniors in college.