Career Highs

Tackles: 16 vs. Michigan State, 11/5/16
Solos: 8 vs. Northwestern, 11/25/17
TFLs: 2.0 at Ohio State, 11/18/17
Sacks: 1.0, twice (last at Ohio State, 11/18/17)
QB Hurries: 2 vs. Northwestern, 11/25/17
Fumbles Forced: 1, three times (last vs. Iowa, 11/19/16)
Fumbles Recovered: 1 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
Fumble Return Yards: 34 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
PBUs: 1, three times (last at Iowa, 10/7/17)
Interception: 1 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
Interception Return Yards: 21 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17

2017 Junior

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in nine games with seven starts at linebacker
• Missed three games with an injury
• 65 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery
• Led Illinois in quarterback hurries (5)
• Tied for second on the team in TFLs (4.5)
• Tied for third on the team in tackles (65)
• Tied for third on the team in TFLs during Big Ten games (3.5)
• Ejected in the first half against Western Kentucky for targeting
• Voted a team captain by his teammates for the first four games
• Transferred following the season

2016 Sophomore

• All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
• Played in 12 games with eight starts at linebacker
• Second on the team with 102 tackles (38 solo)
• 4.5 TFLs, 3 forced fumbles, 1 PBU, 1 qb hurry
• Tied for the Big Ten lead in tackles during conference games (93), along with Iowa's Josey Jewell
• Seventh in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.5) during the regular season
• Third Illini underclassman (freshman/sophomore) with 100+ tackles in a season since 2000
• First career start at Nebraska
• Career-high 16 tackles, 1.5 TFLs vs. Michigan State
• Career-high 1.5 TFLs and one QB hurry at Michigan
• Three tackles in the opener against Murray State
• Academic All-Big Ten

2015 Redshirt Freshman

• Played in all 12 games
• 21 tackles (9 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack on season
• Career-high four tackles vs. Western Illinois and Purdue
• Sack for a seven-yard loss at Penn State
• Illinois Defensive Newcomer of the Year
• Academic All-Big Ten

2014 Freshman

• Redshirted the 2014 season

High School

• Three-star recruit by ESPN.com and Scout
• Had 164 tackles, 96 solos, 11.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, 46 QB hurries, six passes defended, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception in 2013 to earn first-team Class 3A All-State Elite honors by FloridaHSFootball.com and second-team all-state honors by the Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Bay Times
• Also had 11 receptions for 192 yards in 2013
• Helped lead team to 3A state semifinals and to a district title in 2013
• Named Defensive MVP of the 2014 Blue-Gray All-America Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
• Totaled 161 tackles, 25.0 TFLs, 16.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, two blocked punts and one interception in 2012
• Named all-state and all-county by the Tampa Bay Times

Personal

• Born July 5, 1996
• Son of Tim and Christa Watson
• Has one brother and three sisters
• Father played football at Howard University and had a five-year NFL career, playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles from 1993-97
• Uncle, Cedric Watson, played football at Marshall University
• Honor roll member all four years
• Active in Health Occupation Students of America, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society and National Beta Club in high school National Honor Society
• Lists NBA basketball player Blake Griffin as his favorite athlete because "he is the most physically dominant player and puts on a show for the fans."
• Majoring in community health