A Look at This Year's NFL Draft Guard Prospects
Hockey consumed Danny Watkins' existence as he grew up in Kelowna, British Columbia. He followed the Vancouver Canucks with a passion. "Hockey Night in Canada" was one of his favorite television shows.
However, by his senior year in high school, Watkins knew that any dreams he had of playing professional hockey would never be realized.
"When you're 270 pounds in the 12th grade," Watkins said, "there weren't many players in the NHL that size."
Hockey's loss became football's gain. Despite Watkins' late start in football, he developed rapidly and now ranks near the top of offensive line prospects for the 2011 NFL Draft on April 28-30. Some draft observers predict he will be the first guard selected. The Baylor athlete is 6-3 and 310, extremely strong, and is coming off a good performance in the Senior Bowl.
And wherever he is picked, it's safe to say that Watkins' story is one of the most intriguing in this year's draft.
After playing hockey and rugby in high school, Watkins went to work as a firefighter. He spent four years with a British Columbia fire department and decided to enroll at Butte (Calif.) College in 2007 to pursue a degree in fire science. That's where he chose to try football after a talk with the community college's coach.
Watkins blossomed into a Junior College All-American. He moved on to Baylor, where he started 25 games at left tackle over his two seasons and was named the team's co-offensive MVP as a senior.
He was switched to guard for the Senior Bowl and left a positive impression with observers. He has strength, squatting 570 pounds and bench-pressing 425, as well as quick feet and balance. He was known in college for finishing his blocks.
Indeed, Watkins has plenty of upside. But here's an uncommon fact: He will be 27 in November – not exactly a typical age for an NFL rookie.
Does the age factor worry Watkins?
"Well, I don't have arthritis," he said, smiling, during a news conference at the recent NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "I feel pretty good. I was one of the first guys out of my physical. I'm a little more mature than the other guys. I don't think it's a negative."
In May 2010, Watkins was selected fourth overall by the B.C. Lions in the Canadian Football League Draft. But he opted to return to Baylor for his senior year and became a consensus All-Big 12 pick.
Watkins said he misses his friends from his firefighting days but gains similar satisfaction from working with his football teammates. He also looks back on his hockey skills as something that helped prepare him for football.
"I think a lot of it did," he said. "A lot of knee bend. The way you put your feet in the run game is similar to skating. Obviously, moving backward in hockey was very natural to me and in pass protection. A lot has been able to carry over to my benefit."
Strong, draftable offensive linemen are becoming a staple for Baylor. Bears tackle Jason Smith went to the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 first round. Center J.D. Walton was a third-rounder for Denver last year.
"I think Baylor will be known for putting out offensive linemen, putting out good material," Watkins said. "Goes to show you the recruiting they're doing, the guys they get in, and the program they're running. (It's) definitely good to follow in Jason's and J.D.'s footsteps."
Watkins' probable move from tackle to guard in the NFL isn't anything that upsets him. Rather, he looks forward to another challenge.
"I moved inside at the Senior Bowl, and it felt pretty good," he said. "Teams ask where I want to play, and I tell them wherever you feel I best help the team."
BREAKING DOWN THE 2011 NFL DRAFT'S GUARDS
Quality guards can emerge from various rounds of the draft ¬ – or perhaps from elsewhere. Mike Pollak, the Colts' starter at right guard for most of last season, was a second-rounder in 2008. Kyle DeVan, a Colts starter at left guard, originally signed with Washington in 2008 and spent time in Arena Football2. This year's draft crop is relatively deep and there's a school of thought that the likes of Florida's Mike Pouncey, Florida State's Rodney Hudson and Wisconsin's John Moffitt – all of whom spent time working as collegiate centers – could wind up at guard in the NFL.
THE LAST FOURThe last four guards drafted by the Colts ...
2010: Jacques McClendon, fourth round, Tennessee
2009: Jaimie Thomas, seventh round, Maryland
2008: Mike Pollak, second round, Arizona State
Jamey Richard, seventh round, Buffalo
THIS YEAR'S DRAFT
An alphabetical list of 10 guards who could be selected in the 2011 NFL Draft ...
Clint Boling, Georgia, 6-5, 308
Justin Boren, Ohio State, 6-3, 309
Marcus Cannon, Texas Christian, 6-6, 358
Thomas Claiborne, Boston College, 6-3, 325
Ricky Henry, Nebraska, 6-3, 305
Andrew Jackson, Fresno State, 6-5, 299
Jason Kelce, Cincinnati, 6-3, 280
Stephen Schilling, Michigan, 6-4, 308
Caleb Schlauderaff, Utah, 6-4, 305
Danny Watkins, Baylor, 6-3, 310
Note: The content in this story and in the series of draft-eligible players that appears on Colts.com in no way reflects the position of the Indianapolis Colts.
