South Fayette native to play in bowl game
Justin Watson will play in the 93rd East-West Shrine Game set for Jan. 20 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The South Fayette High School graduate is the 27th player from the University of Pennsylvania invited to participate in the event.
“Our program is thrilled for Justin to have the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of all 32 NFL organizations as he begins his professional career,” said head coach Ray Priore. “Justin is widely recognized as one of the elite players in all of FCS football and has been unstoppable inside the Ivy League for the past three seasons. He’s transitioning the extraordinary work ethic he’s used to lead our program into his preparation for the next level. We are excited to see him compete and represent our program as he always has.”
Watson has set every receiving record at Penn, finishing his career as the all-time leader in receptions (286), receiving yards (3,777), all-purpose yards (4,116) and touchdowns (33). He holds four Ivy League marks.
A five-time All-American and a two-time finalist for FCS Player of the Year, Watson was recently named a STATS FCS first-team All-American and a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection for the third year in a row. He had a 2017 campaign more valuable than any wide receiver in all of Division I football.
He accounted for 47.6 percent of Penn’s total receptions, which is the highest percentage of any player in FCS or FBS football. He finished with 50.5 percent of Penn’s total receiving yards (1,083). That total also ranked him No. 1 among all FCS receivers and No. 2 in all of Division I football.
Watson also set a new Penn single-season record with 14 receiving touchdowns in 2017. He also set a new Ivy League mark for consecutive games with a TD reception. He was the first Ivy Leaguer to have at least one scoring catch in all 10 games of a season.
Additionally, he became the first player in league history to catch a pass in 40 consecutive games, making at least one catch in all 40 potential varsity games that a player can play. For good measure, he had at least two catches in all 40 of those games and finished with 6-plus in his final 18 contests.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to represent Penn one more time at the Shrine Game,” said Watson. “My coaches and teammates have all helped me become the player I am and have helped put me in the position to play at the next level. I look forward to this challenge and taking the next step in my career.”
Watson’s career started in South Fayette where he helped the Lions win a PIAA championship in 2013. He was a part of three conference championship teams and two WPIAL winners. The son of Terri and Doug Watson was The Almanac’s MVP for football in 2013. He earned first-team all-state and all-conference honors while setting a league record 1,568 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.
Festivities for the game begin Jan. 14. Practices in front of scouts from each NFL club start Jan. 15.