The Texas Longhorns set a program record with the amount of players that they had drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In total, there were 11 Longhorns that heard their name announced on what is the biggest day of their young careers. One of the players that was selected was Ohio State defensive back transfer, Ryan Watts. He was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 195 pick overall in the sixth round.
A moment that he himself called "amazing" in a release sent out by the program.
"It’s amazing to be picked by one of those “football heaven” teams. Playing for the gold and black, it’s really a blessing with all the defensive players and defensive backs they’ve had in their history," said Watts. "That history is incredible, and I’m blessed to be a part of the organization."
Watts will have a chance to make an impact either on defense where he is expected to transition to safety, and could also carve out a role on special teams. Regardless of what his role is, Watts and his family were absolutely pumped once he got the call. The excitement grew even more when they heard it was Mike Tomlin on the other end.
"I was by myself outside, and I ran in, and was quiet at first, and then they knew I was on the phone, and they started getting loud, especially when they heard Coach Tomlin on the phone, they really got loud. It was a surreal moment, and you see it on TV, but being in the moment is a whole other feeling, and I’m just really blessed. I can’t thank God enough for this opportunity."
Watts also touched on Texas and their status as "DBU".
"It feels great to be part of that. I feel like Texas DBU is the best. I’m trying to keep us going up the mountain, but the next DBs are going to set the standard even more by being those day one, day two picks and continue on getting drafted. They’re going to continue making Texas DBU even greater."
Replacing the 6-foot-3 Watts will be a tough task for a Texas secondary that has seen some attrition over the past couple of weeks. They do however have a couple of rising stars like Malik Muhammad and Jaylon Guilbeau ready and waiting. Watts was a leader and made an immediate impact after transferring, and it shows just how far this program has come in terms of development.
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