2017 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: First-Round Predictions for All 32 Picks
. DL. Clemson. Carlos Watkins. 28. player. 55
Pittsburg can be on their way to creating a gritty defense once again, but it starts with Carlos Watkins.
Watkins can add to any interior defense. He possesses a lot of upper body strength, but his legs do a lot to keep the line balanced. He can lock his legs in place or drive you just far enough back to where moving him for a run is difficult. Watkins becomes that body in the middle creating congestion.
He’s been a beast up front for Clemson and is one of the reasons why a talented roster like Clemson is in the College Football playoffs.
With Pittsburg in the last year of their deals with Jarvis Jones and James Harrison, a pick up like Watkins could be a good safety net. This would also be one of the best landing spots for Watkins because this could give him the opportunity to make an impact right away.
He’s shown that he can improve as well. In 2015 as good as Clemson was, the defense let some big plays happen, something that we haven’t seen much of this year. Especially not anything head to head with Watkins. There’s still room to improve, but in a system like Pittsburg, he could flourish.