Isaiah Watson To Play At West Point

Cedar Creek High School senior wide receiver, running back and linebacker Isaiah Watson went to the Army-Navy Game in December and started seriously considering committing to Army afterward.

Watson did that Monday and will play football for the Black Knights.

Watson, a 17-year-old Mullica Township resident, will attend the West Point, New York, school and then will commit to five years of service in the Army in the role of his choice.

“Coach (Jeff) Monken (Army’s head coach) and (assistant) coach Chad Wilt visited me on Sunday night, and they talked basically about college,” Watson said. “They said that a degree from West Point is one of the best in the country, and that it’s favored over other degrees.”

Watson went to the Army-Navy Game in Baltimore on Dec. 10 with his aunt and uncle, Linda and Eddie Jenkins. Army won 21-17, its first win over Navy since 2001.

Army, of the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I), enjoyed a resurgence this fall and went 8-5 on the season.

 Watching the (Army-Navy) game was definitely something that helped make my decision happen,” Watson said. “It was one of the craziest games I’ve ever seen. People were jumping out of airplanes before the game, and the students from both teams were chanting back and forth. It was a close game, and everyone was on their toes the whole game. After that, Army was at the top of my list as far as schools.”

He’s the second local player to commit to playing football at West Point this season. Hammonton quarterback/defensive back Malachi Winters verbally committed to Army in December.

Watson also visited Old Dominion University and considered Villanova and Buffalo.

Cedar Creek, with Watson at running back, wide receiver and linebacker, won the South Jersey Group II championship in 2015 and reached the final in 2016. Both championship games were against West Deptford.

Army intends to make Watson a linebacker.

“I like to score, but I see myself as a linebacker because of my size,” Watson said. “A linebacker has to be one of the best athletes on the field. You have to go in coverage to stop receivers and also take on big linemen.”

The Pirates, led by running back/wide receiver Bo Melton, quarterback Jesse Milza, Watson, lineman Owen Bowles and others, went 10-2 this fall. Melton and Bowles have both verbally committed to Rutgers University.

“Isaiah was always our x-factor,” said Cedar Creek coach Tim Watson, no relation to Isaiah. “He always stepped up to make the big play at big moments. Teams would try to watch Ahmir (Mitchell a 2016 graduate) or Bo (Melton), and Isaiah would come through. He was a big-time threat.

Watson, who was a second-team Press All-Star this fall, entered this year’s South Jersey final with 390 yards rushing on 77 carries and 18 catches for 415 yards. He rushed for 75 yards on 11 carries as the Pirates lost to West Deptford 19-13 in the Group II final at Rowan University on Dec. 4.

At linebacker, Watson had seven sacks this season.

“Isaiah is a long and athletic linebacker, and he moves well in space,” Tim Watson said. “He’s tough to block on the edge, and it’s tough to move to the outside on him. He’s just starting to show how good he can be, especially on the defensive side of the ball.”

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/creek-creek-s-isaiah-watson-to-play-football-at-army/article_ecab1c55-b711-556b-a670-10b14af97022.html

2/2/17 Army pulls football offer, Watson going to Albany
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/football/cedar-creek-s-isaiah-watson-turns-into-a-steal-for/article_745a1235-206b-57ed-94b7-bdb551a74e43.html