Justin Watkins Commits to LSU: Tigers Land 2018 ATH Recruit from Florida

He's only a freshman, but Citra, Florida, athlete Justin Watkins has big dreams. Part of his dreams included playing college football for LSU.

Imagine Watkins' emotions when he received word that he had an offer from the Tigers Thursday morning. Hours later, the 6'0", 165-pound athlete from North Marion High School ended his recruiting process and gave LSU his verbal commitment.

Watkins told Ryan Bartow of 247Sports that LSU was his "dream offer." He told Bartow that while he's yet to visit the campus, he had a god-brother attend LSU, and he's grown up a Tigers fan.

"I've been liking them since I was a little boy," he told Bartow. "...My mom always said he had dreams about one of her kids graduating in purple and gold."

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BREAKING: Top Florida ATH Justin Watkins commits to #LSU. http://t.co/2Igx5WxOV4 @laamar_05 @CoachField @Sheadixon @Sonny247 @jcshurburtt

— Ryan Bartow (@RyanBartow) April 30, 2015"

Watkins' commitment won't please the recruiting purists of offering older players and having older players commit, but Watkins' pledge is proof that the landscape of recruiting is continually evolving.

Here's the kicker: Watkins isn't the first to commit to LSU's 2018 class. In February 2014, quarterback Zadock Dinkelmann gave his pledge to the Tigers as an eighth-grader.

Offering young recruits isn't something new to LSU. The Tigers went after 2017 linebacker/running back Dylan Moses, the nation's top-ranked overall player, the summer entering his eighth-grade year. Moses committed in September of his freshman year.

Watkins and Dinkelmann, in some ways like Moses, aren't your average freshmen. Dinkelmann has football genes, as his father, Johan, played tight end at Cincinnati and saw brief time in the NFL. His uncles are Ty and Koy Detmer, quarterbacks who spent time in the NFL (Ty won the Heisman Trophy in 1990).

Watkins ended his process with eight reported offers on the table. In addition to LSU, Watkins had offers from Florida, Georgia, Louisville, Miami, Oregon State, South Carolina and UCLA.

One look at Watkins' highlight reel shows he has good speed, decent hands and a lot of athleticism. Offensively, he's a versatile, elusive athlete who could be used as either a slot receiver or running back, and he also could see time as a returner on special teams.

"Justin is a great student academically first and foremost," North Marion coach Stephen Field told Bartow. "As far as a football player there's only one word—dynamic."

Per Bartow, LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond extended the offer to Watkins. A visit to LSU could come this summer.

Damon Sayles is a national recruiting analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles