Menelik Watson
{{Short description|English-born American football player (born 1988)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Menelik Watson
| image = Menelik Watson.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Watson with the Oakland Raiders in 2014
| current_team =
| number = 71, 75
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1988|12|22}}
| birth_place = Manchester, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 315
| high_school = Burnage {{nowrap|(Burnage, England)}}
| college = {{ubl|Saddleback (2011)|Florida State (2012)}}
| draftyear = 2013
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 42
| pastteams =
- Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2017}})
| status =
| highlights =
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 34
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 24
| statlabel3 =
| statvalue3 =
|pfr=WatsMe00
}}
Menelik Watson (born 22 December 1988) is an English former professional American football offensive tackle. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Early life
Watson was born into a single-parent family of four brothers and a sister raised on the Anson Estate in Longsight, Greater Manchester, England; his mother, originally from Jamaica, worked as an office cleaner to support the family.
At Burnage High School, he excelled at sport. However, he broke his right ankle in 2001 while playing football in the park, meaning that he could not progress in his hopes of playing for Manchester City. Advised by a doctor not to play any more sports, he eventually joined the school basketball team, where he was spotted in a local tournament by American coach Rob Orellana, who signed him up for the Canarias Basketball Academy based in the Canary Islands.
College career
Watson played college basketball for Marist College, which he attended from 2009 to 2010.[https://www.espn.com/colleges/fsu/football/story/_/id/8399858/menelik-watson-endured-strange-journey-florida-state-seminoles Tally-ho, Watson]
However, after it became clear that even at {{convert|6|ft|5|in}} Watson was too short to play power forward, Orellana transferred Watson to Saddleback College where he played American football for the first time. Watson played right tackle, opposite of left tackle Kyle Long.{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130405/2013-nfl-draft-menelik-watson/ |title=2013 NFL Draft prospect Menelik Watson bringing British Invasion to NFL - NFL - Dennis Dillon - SI.com |website=sportsillustrated.cnn.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409000512/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130405/2013-nfl-draft-menelik-watson/ |archive-date=2013-04-09}} After a single year at Saddleback, he transferred to Florida State University,[https://web.archive.org/web/20120206015324/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/luke_winn/02/01/Menelik.Watson/index.html Former hoopster, boxer Menelik Watson a hidden gem for Florida St.] where he started 12 of 13 games for the Florida State Seminoles football team during the 2012 season, allowing just one quarterback sack.[http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/watson_menelik00.html Menelik Watson Bio – Florida State University] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126013336/http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/watson_menelik00.html |date=26 November 2012 }}
After his 2012 season, Watson announced his decision to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.[http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/01/08/13/Menelik-Watsons-unlikely-journey-continu/landing_fsu.html?blockID=846525 Menelik Watson's unlikely journey continues]
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 5
| weight = 310
| dash = 5.29
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle = 5.01
| cone drill = 8.31
| vertical = 24.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 7
| bench =
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 34
| hand span = 10 3/8
| note = All values from NFL combine.{{cite web |title=NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles – Menelik Watson |url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/menelik-watson?id=2540206 |website=NFL.com |accessdate=3 April 2013}}
}}
=Oakland Raiders=
Watson was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft with the 42nd overall pick.{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Watson dressed for five games while starting for three of them in his rookie year.
On 28 September 2014, Watson was named Raiders' honorary captain for the International Series game against the Miami Dolphins, leading the Raiders out at Wembley Stadium.{{cite web|title=NFL result, Oakland Raiders 14 Miami Dolphins 38: UK-born Menelik Watson's emotional return spoiled by Miami in London|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/americanfootball/11127303/NFL-result-Oakland-Raiders-14-Miami-Dolphins-38-UK-born-Menelik-Watsons-emotional-return-spoiled-by-Miami-in-London.html|work=The Telegraph|date=29 September 2014}}
In December 2014, Watson donated his game check to a four-year-old Oakland Raiders fan with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which is estimated to be around $18,000.{{cite web|title=Menelik Watson donates game check to four-year-old fan|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/12/21/menelik-watson-donates-game-check-to-four-year-old-fan/|author=Florio, Mike|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=21 December 2014}}
On 30 August 2015, Watson suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the third preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.{{cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-menelik-watson-ruptures-achilles-tendon-0ap3000000518564 |title=Raiders' Menelik Watson ruptures Achilles tendon |last=Bergman |first=Jeremy |date=30 August 2015 |publisher=National Football League |access-date=31 August 2015}} On 1 September 2015, the Raiders placed Watson on injured reserve.{{cite news |first=Jimmy |last=Durkin |title=Raiders place Watson on injured reserve |url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/20150901/raiders-place-watson-on-injured-reserve |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date=1 September 2015 |accessdate=3 September 2015}}
=Denver Broncos=
On 10 March 2017, Watson signed a three-year contract with the Denver Broncos.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/tackle-menelik-watson-agrees-to-terms-with-broncos-on-three-year-contra-18640634|title=Tackle Menelik Watson agrees to terms with Broncos on three-year contract|website=DenverBroncos.com|date=10 March 2017|first=Ben|last=Swanson}} He started the first seven games at right tackle before suffering a calf injury and was placed on injured reserve on 8 November 2017.{{cite web|title=Broncos place Menelik Watson on injured reserve, sign T Cyrus Kouandjio|url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-place-menelik-watson-on-injured-reserve-sign-t-cyrus-kouandjio-19726429|author=Mason, Andrew|website=DenverBroncos.com|date=8 November 2017}}
On 20 August 2018, Watson was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.{{cite web|title=Broncos designate Menelik Watson as reserve/injured|url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-designate-menelik-watson-as-reserve-injured|website=DenverBroncos.com|date=20 August 2018}} He was released on 8 September 2018.
Personal life
Watson has a daughter Orellana—named in honour of his mentor Rob—who lives in Manchester with her mother.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/21961331|title=Menelik Watson swaps inner-city life for the big time|author=Ian Shoesmith|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 April 2013|accessdate=25 April 2013}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.denverbroncos.com/team/roster/Menelik-Watson/f555e640-11ea-4ff6-880a-e32bb80b4f17 Denver Broncos bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130705143211/http://www.raiders.com/team/roster/menelik-watson/f8dbcd74-1f9c-469f-ac81-7a001eff6537/ Oakland Raiders bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126013336/http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/watson_menelik00.html Florida State Seminoles bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121104015203/http://www.saddleback.edu/athletics/football/11watsonm.html Saddleback College bio]
{{Raiders2013DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Menelik}}
Category:People from Longsight
Category:Sportspeople from Manchester
Category:English expatriates in the United States
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Marist Red Foxes men's basketball players
Category:Saddleback Gauchos football players
Category:Florida State Seminoles football players
Category:English players of American football