Maraad Watson DT Texas |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #98 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.20 seconds (29%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #98 | |
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 5.20 seconds (29%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
78.5 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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71% |
| Pass Rush: |
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63% |
| Run Defense: |
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68% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#218
Position rank:
#33 (DL)
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| College Games: 25 College Snaps: 813 | ||
ESPN RATING: 75/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cameron Young - Mississippi State |
|
92% |
| Brandon Cleveland - NC State |
|
85% |
| JJ Pegues - Ole Miss |
|
84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A New Jersey native out of Irvington who flipped his commitment from Kent State to Syracuse, Watson started eleven games as a true freshman with the Orange in 2024, recording 31 tackles and earning Freshman All-America honors. He transferred to Texas before the 2025 season to anchor the middle of a Power Four front.Watson worked into a rotational nose role for the Longhorns, making his debut at Ohio State and turning in a 1.5-sack game against San Jose State, finishing with twelve tackles, eight pressures and nine run stops across twelve games. The 313-pound frame and low pad level let him take on doubles and hold the point, a true run-down anchor with three years of eligibility still ahead. The Freshman All-America season at Syracuse showed he can be a fixture, and the move to Texas gave him a Power Four stage as a true nose with a defined early-down role.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Sure-handed tackler for a nose, charged with a single miss all season
- Pushed the pocket twice against San Jose State for early pressure
- Brings size at 313 pounds to two-gap the interior on early downs
- Freshman All-American pedigree from his Syracuse season backs the projection
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Recorded zero sacks across the season, a flat pass-rush ledger
- Below-average timed speed limits range and any back-side pursuit
- Worked a low snap count in a deep Texas rotation, just over 300 reps
- Stop production is thin for the snaps, only nine run stops
- Gets washed when guards reach his frame before he can two-gap
Scouting Report: Summary
Watson began at Syracuse, where he earned freshman All-American notice, and spent 2025 as a rotational nose for Texas, bringing 313 pounds and a sure set of hands to the interior. The tackling is the cleanest part of his game: one miss on the year is rare for the spot, and he comes to balance well when ball carriers come into his area. He flashed some pocket push against San Jose State, and the size gives a defense an early-down body that can two-gap when he stays square.The disruption is where the file runs dry. He did not record a sack and produced only nine run stops on his snaps, so the impact plays are scarce, and the below-average timed speed means he is not pursuing anything outside his frame. When guards get into him before he can anchor, he gets washed from the gap, and the low snap count in a deep Texas rotation kept the sample small. The role he held was narrow.
What he offers a pro defense is depth at nose with a dependable tackle finish and the size to absorb blocks on early downs. He has to win a roster spot on reliability and special teams rather than production, because the rush ledger gives him nothing to lean on. That is a priority-free-agent or late-round profile built on floor, not upside.
How other scouting services rate Maraad Watson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
199.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
29.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.