Although a quick study as a QB, Deshaun Watson is willing to wait his turn.
Deshaun Watson has a history of emerging fast, but he knows he must wait his chance
Deshaun Watson always has been an unusually precocious quarterback.
As a freshman at Clemson, he delivered a touchdown pass during a road game at Georgia on just the sixth snap of his collegiate career as he overtook starter Cole Stoudt.
As a high school freshman at Gainesville High School in Georgia, Watson was named the starter and threw three touchdown passes in his first varsity game. He wound up going 10-2 as a starter with 2,088 yards, 17 touchdown passes, 569 rushing yards and five touchdown runs.
The path to the Texans’ starting job may not come as quickly, though, for the firstround draft pick and national championship winner from Clemson.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien has installed veteran Tom Savage as the starter without holding a competition with Watson or backup Brandon Weeden.
For now, the plan is for Watson to learn behind Savage and gain some seasoning before the Texans consider changing his status.
As much as he’s eager to play and contribute, it’s a blueprint that Watson is on board with while being coached by O’Brien, a former New England offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tom Brady.
“It’s best for the team,” Watson said Friday while hosting a shopping event for the Southeast Falcons at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Friendswood. “Coach OB knows a lot of football. He’s been with … one of the best in NFL history in Tom Brady. He knows how everything is operated. He knows when the perfect timing will be. He knows when it’s right and when it’s wrong.
“So, I’m following their footsteps. I’m the rookie and I really don’t know no better, so I’m just kind of going with the flow, learning from the vets, learning from the coaching staff. Whenever he calls my name, I’ll make sure I’m prepared and go out and perform.”
‘I’m starting from ground zero’
A Heisman Trophy finalist, Davey O’Brien and Manning Award winner as well as claiming an ESPY last week for Best Male College Athlete, Watson has a proven track record of exceeding initial expectations. In high school and college, Watson emerged as the starter almost im- mediately.
“That just kind of came natural,” Watson said. “I’ve been playing football my whole life. Coaches felt like I was prepared and ready and they wanted me in there, so I just took advantage of the opportunity and didn’t look back.
“This is a whole new level. I’m starting from ground zero. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’ll play my role well and support the team.”
Throwing that first touchdown pass against an aggressive blitz package against Georgia made a lasting impression on Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. It was the springboard to a career that included 83 career touchdown passes in three seasons before declaring early for the draft.
“That was the first time we experienced how special Deshaun was,” Swinney said. “It was a really exotic blitz, very dangerous. If we didn’t get into the right protection and call, it could be a big-time
sack and free hit on the quarterback. We couldn’t believe he could do that as a true freshman. That was a sign that this young man was different and one of the special ones.”
Watson finished his college career with 9,201 passing yards and rushed for 1,744 yards and 21 scores. Prior to enrolling early at Clemson, Watson set Georgia high school state records with 17,134 yards of total offense and 218 touchdowns.
Watson has made a good first impression on the Texans’ coaching staff, especially O’Brien, who’s operating as the offensive coordinator after the team parted ways with George Godsey after last season.
Watson puts in overtime, haunting the Texans’ film room and weight room on days off to make sure he’s prepared.
“He’s doing good,” O’Brien said. “For a rookie coming in here, he’s spent a lot of time. He’s studying hard. He has great questions. He has good answers to the questions when we kind of quiz them every morning. I’ve been impressed with all three guys. It’s a good room and he’s working hard.”
‘A once-in-a-lifetime player’
In consecutive national championship games against Alabama, Watson passed for a combined 825 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception. He delivered the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds to cap his college career in the BCS national title game.
“He was special, a once-in-a-lifetime player and person,” Gainesville coach Bruce Miller said. “He was self-motivated with a terrific work ethic. You could tell football was one of his main priorities in his life. He was so coachable, just wanted it so bad.
“It was amazing what he did behind the scenes to be good. He’s what coaches call a ‘film hound.’ He goes hunting for film. He can’t watch enough. He is an extremely fast learner. The Texans got themselves a good one. He’s the type of kid that can take the Texans franchise a step higher.”
Competing against the Texans’ topranked defense during minicamps and organized team activities, Watson got a glimpse of the increased speed of the game and the quick adjustments he’ll need to make to diagnose defensive schemes designed to confuse him.
“Everyone can run at this level,” Watson said. “Everyone is smart. Everyone watches film. Everyone is athletic. You have to approach the game differently. You can’t take a play off at this level. If you do, you will get smoked.”
Watson is listening closely to Savage and Weeden on how to conduct himself in the NFL. It hasn’t been as steep a learning curve for Watson as some rookies because he arrives with a lot of experience.
“How to be a professional quarterback, how to approach every day like it could be your last, having the opportunity to go out and support everyone,” Watson said when asked what he has learned from the older quarterbacks on the roster. “There’s no negative energy in that locker room or at that position group. We all support each other.”