WATCH: LSU commit Jelani Watkins returns kickoff for TD
2024 Houston (Tex.) Atascocita wide receiver Jelani Watkins committed to LSU this summer and has been explosive as a senior. On Saturday, he took a kickoff return back for a touchdown, which you can watch below.
When he heads off to college, Watkins plans to run track while also playing football. He’s a star in Texas in track, winning back-to-back 6A 200-meter titles, capturing a 4×100 title with Klein Forest this spring while also standing out in the 100-meter.
“I really want to be able to run track and play football,” Watkins told The Bengal Tiger. “When I was at LSU, I was with (LSU wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton) and (LSU track-and-field coach Bennie Brazzell), and we went over it all. They had made a schedule for me for both sports. They showed me how I could be with each team, so that was cool. I also got to watch the track team practice.
“I want to be able to run the 100-meter and 200-meter, and I could run the 4×4 if they needed me.”
When it comes to making the transition to the Southeastern Conference, what’s the view of Watkins as a college football prospect on a roster that is always stacked with talent at wide receiver?
“He projects as a Z receiver at the next level, a guy who can be a deep threat and bring safeties over,” On3 director of scouting Charles Power said. “He can potentially play in the slot, as well. But at the minimum, he can be a field-stretching outside receiver. He can make defenders miss in space with the ball in his hands, and I think he just has that really strong trait with the elite speed to continue to build off of.
“He’s a smaller guy at around 5-foot-10, 160 pounds. He is going to need to get stronger, and spending time in LSU’s weight room adding strength will help him play stronger. His hands will need to get stronger and more consistent as well, but he has the gamebreaking ability to make plays at the next level.”
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Watkins is the No. 195 overall prospect in the country, No. 34 wide receiver in the nation and No. 34 prospect in Texas.
