Signed with Clemson in 2024 as the first fourth-generation football player in Clemson history.
2024: Suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to the season … ACC Honor Roll selection.
Before Clemson: One of five finalists for Mr. Football in South Carolina in 2023 … helped Daniel to a 51-1 record in his four years as the Lions’ starting left tackle … helped Daniel to three state titles in four years and four straight Region 1-AAA championships … SCFCA All-State honoree in 2022 and 2023 … named to the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team in 2023 … named Region 1-AAA Lineman of the Year and Pickens County Courier All-County Player of the Year … earned 2022 Palmetto Combine Upper State Best Junior Offensive Lineman and collected Palmetto Combine Series West Top Offensive Lineman honors for 2023 … named MVP of the 2023 Under Armour/ESPN Camp … 2023 District Strength Champion among heavyweights … All-Atlantic Region selection by PrepStar, which ranked Watson as 15th-best player in South Carolina … listed as ESPN’s 13th-best prospect in South Carolina … ranked No. 24 in South Carolina by 247Sports … played for Jeff Fruster at Daniel … was also a three-year letterman in baseball at Daniel.
Personal: Became the first fourth-generation Clemson football player on record … son of former Clemson All-American and three-time Academic All-American Kyle Young … Kyle played for the Tigers from 1998-2001 and was also a two-time All-American on the field as Clemson’s starting center across the 1999-2001 seasons … Kyle, who is in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame and currently works as an Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Clemson Athletics, was the center for legendary Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler … Watson’s uncle, Will Young, was an offensive lineman at Clemson from 1992-95 and was an All-ACC selection in 1995 … his great grandfather, Ed McLendon, lettered in 1939 and played the first bowl team in Clemson history that earned a 6-3 win in the 1940 Cotton Bowl … his grandfather, Ben Watson, was a linebacker at Clemson from 1968-70 … born Sept. 21, 2005 … committed to Clemson Dec. 3, 2023 … enrolled at Clemson in January 2024 … sports communication major.
