Texas DB Ryan Watts had to wait longer than any of the Pittsburgh Steelers draft picks. But getting the phone call – you ready to be a Steeler – is sweet no matter if it’s in the first or sixth round. Watts was the team’s final selection of the draft, the 195th overall pick, and the Longhorns’ Twitter account shared video of his and his family’s reaction.
You can hear Mike Tomlin on speakerphone asking Watts if his family was with him. Once Tomlin says they’re going to draft him, the whole room went wild, an awesome moment for him and his family. There have been countless cool videos of the Steelers’ picks getting the call from Troy Fautanu to Zach Frazier and other of Watts’ newest teammates.
Watts took a bit of a winding road to the NFL. He began his career at Ohio State before transferring to Texas for the past two seasons. While his overall production is light, Watts brings size that fits what the Steelers look for, nearly 6-3, 208 pounds with 34 1/2-inch arms. He tested well at the Combine and his versatility and special teams value got him on the team’s radar.
Overall, Pittsburgh had a solid rookie class. They stocked up on o-linemen, the clear theme of the draft, but also found value without having to make a single trade. For the second-straight draft, the board fell in Pittsburgh’s favor. And for Watts, he’s happy to have an NFL home.
