Earl Watford: 5 Things to Know About the James Madison Guard

Upon hearing James Madison University, one does not think of NFL prospects, yet guard Earl Watford is one.

After a productive run with the Dukes, Watford looks to take his talents to the NFL. The athletic guard projects to be a late-round pick.

Here are five things you should know about Earl Watford.

Background

Full Name: Earl Watford  

Birthday: Jan. 1, 1990

Hometown: Philadelphia

HighSchool: Simon Gratz

Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders 

Year: Senior

Watford stayed in the Eastern time zone for college, going to James Madison, which is about 260 miles southwest of his hometown of Philadelphia. 

Statistics

Games Played: 47

Games Started: 36

Honors: First-team All-CAA in 2011 and 2012.

During Watford's senior season he only surrendered one sack. Although it came against FCS competition, Watford's collegiate experience and production is impressive. 

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'3" 

Weight: 300 lbs

Arm Length: 34"  

Hand Size: 10"

 

Combine Results

40-yard dash: 5.06

Broad jump: 10'7"

Three-cone drill: 7.77 

Vertical jump: 30"

20-yard shuffle: 5.00

Watford has an impressive vertical leap for his position. Also, his measurables are up to par for NFL guards. Watford didn't do much to stand out at the combine, but also didn't do anything that would concern prospective NFL teams. 

Interesting Facts

After a very productive high school career on defense, Watford was named to the Philadelphia Daily News’ public school all-decade second team. Others to earn this honor was 2013 draftee Sharrif Floyd and NFL players Brent Grimes and Jameel McClain.  

Observations

Earl Watford is a solid late-round selection. He has the measurables and experience to translate to the next level. His game tape is tainted by his FCS opponents, but Watford dominated at that level, earning first-team all-conference twice.

The deck is stacked against Watford as a small-school player, but the league's reigning Super Bowl MVP also hails from the Colonial Athletic Association, so the sky is the limit.