There’s something special about going out on top in your final game.
And then there’s what DeShaun Watson did in his final game as the quarterback of the Clemson Tigers, before declaring for the NFL Draft.
With his team down by 10 points after three quarters, Watson engineered a 21-point fourth quarter and topped it off with a game-winning touchdown pass with one second left on the clock to deliver a national championship.
In Monday’s 35-31 win over Alabama, Watson tallied 420 passing yards and four touchdowns against an elite Alabama defense full of NFL caliber prospects.
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Add Watson’s Monday night performance to what he did against the Crimson Tide in last year’s National Championship game and the numbers are gaudy. He piled up 825 passing yards, threw seven touchdowns and only one interception across the two championship games. Punch in his stats from those games into a calculator that spits out the NFL’s equation for passer rating and it comes out to a 107.5 rating.
And while college numbers don’t directly translate to the NFL game or guarantee professional success, it provides a little bit of perspective on how well Watson performed in the two biggest games of his college career.
So then, this might be a good time to mention how much the Bears need a quarterback – especially when you consider their current situation at the position – and the fact Watson might be there for the taking when the team is on the clock with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Should they take him if he is there? Is he even the best fit?
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Those are just two questions the Bears have to weigh and eventually answer between now and draft day. But let’s get a head start on that while it’s fresh in our minds.
There is an obvious fit for Watson with the Bears, because of their need for a quarterback.
Based on his college play, Watson might not be just a quarterback though. He is a two-way threat who made big throws in big games against big-time competition and used his mobility to make plays happen down the field with passes or with scrambles away from defenders. His mobility in the pocket, ability to keep plays alive, and threat as a runner and a passer on the same play could be beneficial to him if he were to land on the Bears, given the team’s instability at both offensive tackle positions.
Watson’s stats look good, but the intangibles stand out during the game – particularly during the Tigers’ championship-clinching win. Watson led the offense through a slow start and persevered against a hard-hitting defense. He proved to have the kind of composure and leadership skills to go face-to-face with the nation’s top defense and not blink in the fourth quarter of a National Championship game that featured three lead changes. That is impressive.
But whether or not he can do it at the pro level is something front offices across the league will have to figure out between now and draft day.
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In a scenario where the Bears select Watson, they should prepare to surround him with the best advisement from coaches and the best complimentary players available via the draft, free agency (perhaps an Alshon Jeffery return?) and trade markets. Further, the Bears would be wise to invest in a competent offensive tackle with their second-round pick if the team selected Watson in the first round, in an effort to best protect their newest asset under center.
Then again, they would be wise to do that no matter who is at quarterback when the 2017 season begins.
The upcoming draft is a big one for the Bears, but at least a couple, really interesting options have presented themselves already.