When Deshaun Watson entered Clemson University, I knew he was a star in the making. Watching everything he did there, I was amazed. He had command and control of the game, he led by example and his teammates followed. I still think of the epic National Title game in January of 2017 when the Clemson Tigers finally got over the hump and beat Alabama. That same year, the Houston Texans decided to draft Deshaun and it ended up being one of the best decisions ever. The last year has been extremely drama-filled for the young quarterback. After the 2020 season, there were disagreements with the front office and multiple sexual misconduct lawsuits kept the quarterback from seeing the field the entire 2021 season. He still faces lawsuits. The trade rumors have been swindling around for the last few weeks. It’s finally happened! Deshaun has been traded to the Cleveland Browns.
He’s a top-ten quarterback when he’s on the field. The 2020 season showed us that. The best attribute of his game is how he eludes people. He has the mobility to escape and slither away from a sack. There have been times when I’ve watched him and the defensive line has him contained. Seconds later, he’s using his feet to run and extend the play. Deshaun also makes throws on the run with the best of them. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback that can beat you with his arm and his legs. Also, he can beat you as a receiver and catch the ball. Deshaun improvises a lot with the ball. He’ll spin around, move the pocket and make those crazy throws that look to be intercepted, but his guys come away with it each time. He’s an athletic threat that puts defenses on their toes when you play him. It’s his confidence that stands out. He feels he can attack a defense in any way possible. Before tearing his ACL in 2017, he was having a phenomenal rookie season. Deshaun broke Hall of Famer Kurt Warner’s record of the most touchdown passes thrown in his first seven games with 19.
I knew the end was near for him in Houston when the Texans decided to shock the football community and trade away DeAndre Hopkins who happened to be his top target. Despite that, Deshaun ended up having the best season of his career. He led the league that year in passing yards, yards per attempt, and threw 33 touchdown passes which were a career-high. If the Texans make the playoffs that year, he’s league MVP without question. He comes to Cleveland with a top-three running back to lean on in Nick Chubb and the newly acquired wide receiver, Amari Cooper. This also means we will get a Deshaun/Lamar quarterback showdown twice a year!
