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We knew it wasn't going to take long for Jaylen Watkins to be selected on Day Three of the 2014 NFL Draft. It took under 10 minutes, in fact: Watkins was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 101st pick of the draft and first pick of the fourth round.
Watkins was a somewhat surprising omission on Day Two, especially given his phenomenal performances in nearly every aspect of the pre-Draft process, but he's heading to one of the cleverest NFL franchises, and following in the footsteps of another great Florida corner, Lito Sheppard, in doing so.
Our scouting report on Watkins will be a great read for any Eagles fans:
The word versatility does not do Jaylen Watkins justice.
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The injuries for Florida’s defense were unfortunate, yes, but they came to benefit Watkins the most. After Florida tried out two new starting safeties to begin the season, Watkins made the switch from cornerback to defensive back midway through the year – his role was that of a do-everything player at any and all positions where he was needed, from outside corner to nickel corner, and free safety to strong safety.
Watkins finished with a career best in tackles and tackles for loss in 2013, and was one shy of the mark for pass breakups he set the season before. But more than stats, Watkins's journey as a football college football player ended like it began, as the top plug-and-play athlete on the team.