Tim Watson became a Green Bay Packer in the 1993 draft. However, he never played a game for the franchise. Twenty-nine years later, his son Christian is looking to add luster to the family name in Wisconsin. And incidentally, become the next Davante Adams.

Green Bay/Munich – Whether Aaron Rodgers regretted his contract extension after the first day of the draft is unknown. The only thing that was clear after the first 32 players was that the Green Bay Packers once again did not draft a wide receiver.

Although the year was loaded with talent. As many as six receivers found themselves among the first 18 picks.

Green Bay, however, saw no reason to break with a – perhaps – questionable tradition. The franchise has not drafted a wide receiver or tight end in the first round in 20 years.

On the second day of the draft, however, the front office acted a little more aggressively, swapping picks 53 and 59 with the 34th pick of the Minnesota Vikings. The result: Christian Watson, wide receiver, North Dakota State.

Christian Watson is about to have to deliver

With the Packers, he’s expected to fill big shoes. More specifically, in shoe size 46.5 left by Davante Adams’ departure to the Las Vegas Raiders. The former second-round pick of Green Bay caught balls from Rodgers for seven years and developed into a star at his position.

With Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard, Watson still has three receivers on the roster to learn from. At the same time, he can compete against the trio for a starting spot right away.

A Watson returns to Green Bay

That his start in Green Bay will be easier than his own was 29 years ago is the hope of one man in particular: Tim Watson (Tazim Wajid Wajed since 2018), a former safety in the NFL and the father of Christian.Watson was drafted sixth overall by the Packers in the 1993 draft, but never played a game for them.

According to himself, he injured himself in training camp, was subsequently released, re-signed and even stood on the sidelines for one game in week two against the Philadelphia Eagles. A week later, he was sacked again and then played 14 games with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Eagles in a short career that lasted until 1997.

“But I think Christian is in a different situation than I was back then,” Tim Watson told “ESPN” after explaining his rocky road in the league. His older son and Christian’s brother Tre played linebacker at the University of Maryland but never made the big leap either. Last season he played in the CFL.

Christian Watson: “Grew up with football in my hands “

But as we all know, good things come in threes. And the third Watson in the bunch is also the most promising. “We grew up with football in our hands,” Christian said shortly after being drafted. “My dad, me, my brothers – even my mum and sister – we lived for football. “

However, his path to the NFL wasn’t the dream journey of many a top prospect, who was already picked to be a coming star in high school. The only scholarship came from North Dakota State, a Division I college. But in cold Fargo, he developed into the athletic receiver he is today. 6-foot-3, 94 pounds.

Bison with butterfingers

At the Combine, he ran an outstanding time of 4.36 seconds for 40 yards, complemented his good impression in the jumping events as well. And yet, six other receivers went off the board ahead of him at the draft.

Critics criticised in the run-up to the draft that he never competed against the big names in college football with the North Dakota State Bisons. In addition, he was criticised in the run-up to the draft for not being particularly versatile in his routes. But that was also said of a guy named D.K. Metcalf three years ago.

The biggest problem, however, is said to be Watson’s hands. He doesn’t have a natural catching motion and often had problems with dropped balls during his college days. In 52 games at NDSU, he had a total of 16 drops – with 105 receptions.

Father Tim has his own opinion on the matter: “I think it’s a bit of a misnomer when people talk about Christian as unfinished. He’s been playing football since he was four years old, his brother plays football. They both have a dad who played football and coached football. “

The perfect fit for the Packers?

And the man who will be throwing balls to Christian Watson in the future also expressed confidence after the draft. “We’ve had a lot of success with receivers in the second or third round,” Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show,” “Just look at Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb, James Jones and Davante Adams. Those guys have gotten pretty good.”

Now Rodgers and the 22-year-old just need to find their connection. That always took a little time with young receivers in the past, but in the end the quarterback always found his new favourite target.

Asked what Watson will tell his pass rusher on the first meeting, he replied, “I’ll tell him I’m ready. Ready to work and ready to learn. Ready to start my next chapter.”

In any case, his chances are good up front to complete his father’s dream at the time and lead the Packers jersey named Watson to Lambeau Field.