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Defensive back Ryan Watts is the 10th Texas Longhorns player picked in the 2024 NFL Draft when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Watts in the sixth round with the No. 195 overall pick.
The first Texas defensive back selected in the draft since Caden Sterns in 2021, Watts is the 10th Longhorn selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, the most-ever for Texas through the first six rounds of the NFL Draft.
The Steelers have a long history of drafting Longhorns — Watts is the 18th Texas player picked by Pittsburgh, although he’s the first since cornerback Curtis Brown was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
“It’s amazing to be picked by one of those ‘football heaven’ teams,” Watts said. “Playing for the gold and black, it’s really a blessing with all the defensive players and defensive backs they’ve had in their history. That history is incredible, and I’m blessed to be a part of the organization.”
As a physical defensive back capable of setting the edge and playing press coverage against big X receivers to the boundary, Watts has also trained at safety, where his athleticism and tackling ability could translate well.
Those are skills that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian believes will translate to the Steel City and its tradition of hard-nosed defense.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been known for their physical defense and they made a great choice in Ryan Watts as a player to help carry on that tradition.
He is a long, big, physical corner who did great things for us. He’s a guy we played into the boundary and really put him one-on-one with a lot of teams’ best receivers there.
