The Philadelphia Eagles added three rookie wide receivers during the 2020 NFL Draft, but any momentum towards getting them acclimated to the offense was stunted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Quez Watkins put up decent numbers at Southern Miss and his Alshon Jeffery-esque size has some analysts believing he has a bright future with the Eagles.
the last of the Eagles draft picks, Watkins isn’t guaranteed to make the Birds roster and after missing out on OTAs and minicamps, the talented wideout had the chance to get some work in with Carson Wentz down in Houston recently.
With Watkins and other Eagles rookies needing to get caught up to speed fast, the wide receiver called his time with Wentz last week “crucial” to his development during a sitdown with NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Watkins has been in Houston this week working out with his new quarterback and a few other receivers, including first-round pick Jalen Reagor. It’s the first time the rookies have been able to catch passes from the Eagles’ franchise quarterback.
“It’s crucial,” Watkins said. “Especially being a sixth-round draft pick, it’s not every day that somebody that late in the draft can already get with the quarterback and build a relationship and build trust. For me, that’s crucial and that will give me a step ahead.”
Watkins was initially supposed to workout with Eagles rookie Jalen Hurts for a week, but when Wentz, the Eagles starter called, it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“Truthfully, I didn’t know he was that big,” Watkins said to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark on Wednesday. “I thought he was maybe 6-3, 6-2. But he was like 6-5 and I was like, man, he’s tall. I see how he can sling it now.”
Wentz has been throwing to Jalen Reagor, Watkins, Greg Ward, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, something that should make Eagles fans and pundits excited.
For Watkins, the reps will go a long way towards the speedy wideout carving out a place on this Eagles team.
“With [Wentz], he’s really just giving me signals and really coaching me up and helping me learn the playbook as we go along,” Watkins said. “And just getting reps, learning the different routes and stuff like that.”
In his final years at Southern Miss, Watkins had 136 catches for 2,067 yards and 15 touchdowns, but it was his 4.35 40-yard dash at the combine that won the Eagles over. Watkins has been working to add muscle and could give the Eagles another dynamic playmaker.
