2017 NFL Combine: 10 Players to watch from Big Ten
By Ryan McNeill
7. T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconson
Don’t be tempted to compare T.J. Watt with his older brother, J.J. Watt. The youngest Watt, T.J., struggled to find his way onto the field for Wisconsin and had to redshirt as a freshman, and then he lost the following season due to a knee injury.
T.J. then injured his left knee during spring practice in 2015 and required surgery.
When Watt finally returned to the field, he did so as a linebacker, instead of as a tight end. The move worked out well as he won a starting job earned second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors.
T.J. finished last season – his first college season – with 63 tackles, 15.5 for loss, and 11.5 sacks. Not bad for a player with limited college football experience and newly converted to the defensive side of the ball.
His athleticism will be on full display during drills at the NFL Combine, but where Watt will leave his mark or see his stock fall is how he does in interviews with teams and scouts. It will be interesting to see how T.J. Watt does at reading NFL offenses when shown game tapes.