Quarterback who put up record numbers and guided Clemson to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, with the school's second National Championship in 2016 ... led Clemson to 28 wins over his final two seasons ... wore jersey No. 4, same number worn by former Tiger quarterback Steve Fuller; the number was retired at Clemson, but Fuller allowed it to come out of retirement for Watson ... two-time Heisman Trophy finalist; finished third in the 2015 balloting with 148 first-place votes and second in 2016 with 269 first-place votes ... he was the first ACC player to finish in the top three of the voting on multiple occasions ... two-time recipient of the Davey O’Brien Award, the fourth quarterback to make that claim, and the first since Oklahoma’s Jason White in 2003-04 ... also two-time winner of the Manning Award ... compiled a 32-3 record as a starter, at the time the best winning percentage in school history for a quarterback ... tied Rodney Williams and Tajh Boyd with 32 wins as a starter in the National Championship win over Alabama (later surpassed by Trevor Lawrence) ... exited third in ACC history in total offense (12,094), behind only NC State’s Philip Rivers and Boyd ... threw for 10,163 yards and 90 career touchdowns ... exited first in Clemson history in career completion percentage (.674), passing efficiency (157.5) and total offense per game (318.3) ... in his career in the fourth quarter, passed for 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions ... believed to be the first quarterback in FBS history to pass at least 37 hours and throw 35 or more touchdown passes in the same academic year (2015-16) ... two-time team MVP ... two-time All-ACC Academic Team (2015-16) selection.
Quarterback who put up record numbers and guided Clemson to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, with the school’s second National Championship in 2016 … led Clemson to 28 wins over his final two seasons … wore jersey No. 4, same number worn by former Tiger quarterback Steve Fuller; the number was retired at Clemson, but Fuller allowed it to come out of retirement for Watson … two-time Heisman Trophy finalist; finished third in the 2015 balloting with 148 first-place votes and second in 2016 with 269 first-place votes … he was the first ACC player to finish in the top three of the voting on multiple occasions … two-time recipient of the Davey O’Brien Award, the fourth quarterback to make that claim, and the first since Oklahoma’s Jason White in 2003-04 … also two-time winner of the Manning Award … compiled a 32-3 record as a starter, at the time the best winning percentage in school history for a quarterback … tied Rodney Williams and Tajh Boyd with 32 wins as a starter in the National Championship win over Alabama (later surpassed by Trevor Lawrence) … exited third in ACC history in total offense (12,094), behind only NC State’s Philip Rivers and Boyd … threw for 10,163 yards and 90 career touchdowns … exited first in Clemson history in career completion percentage (.674), passing efficiency (157.5) and total offense per game (318.3) … in his career in the fourth quarter, passed for 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions … believed to be the first quarterback in FBS history to pass at least 37 hours and throw 35 or more touchdown passes in the same academic year (2015-16) … two-time team MVP … two-time All-ACC Academic Team (2015-16) selection.
2016: Finalist for the Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year … Maxwell Award semifinalist … Davey O’Brien Award winner for a second straight year … Manning Award winner for second straight year … won Johnny Unitas Award, presented annually to the top graduating quarterback in college football … earned Chic Harley Award, presented to the top player nationally by the Touchdown Clumb of Columbus, Ohio … won Bobby Bowden Award for the college player who epitomizes a student-athlete on and off the field … National Offensive Player of the Year by Scout … second-team All-American by AFCA, Associated Press, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and Walter Camp … third-team All-American by Phil Steele … second-team All-ACC (media, coaches) … ACC Championship Game Most Valuable Player for second straight year … National Championship Game Most Valuable Offensive Player … Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Offensive Player … named to ESPN’s All-Bowl Team … shared Tiger Pride Offensive MVP honors with Mike Williams … Strength & Conditioning All-American … one of six permanent team captains … set Clemson records by throwing for 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns … completed 67 percent of his passes and accounted for 5,219 yards of total offense, 10 more than his total from the 2015 season … accounted for 50 touchdowns in all, with nine rushing scores … a clutch player, he completed 75.5 percent of his passes in November, with 12 touchdowns against four interceptions for a passing efficiency of over 168 … threw for 248 yards and a score in the opener at Auburn, the touchdown was the 50th through the air of his career … posted 347 yards of total offense, with three passing touchdowns, against Troy … offensive player of the game against SC State, going 12-15 for 152 yards and three touchdowns in only 28 snaps … hit 32-48 passes for 304 yards at Georgia Tech, with a pair of touchdowns … earned Davey O’Brien Award Quarterback of the Week, Walter Camp Player of the Week and ACC Offensive Back of the Week honors against Louisville after tossing five touchdown passes in dramatic win … led Tigers to pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter after trailing by eight points … offensive player of the game by Clemson coaches after posting 270 passing yards and four touchdowns in win at Boston College … Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 performer against NC State after setting Clemson record with 39 completions, to go along with three touchdowns … posted 378 passing yards against NC State and Florida State, while adding 52 on the ground in Tallahassee … led Tigers to come from behind win over the Seminoles, the first Clemson quarterback to defeat Florida State in consecutive tries … Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 perfomer and Quarterback of the Week against the Seminoles … left game with a bruised shoulder against Syracuse after tossing two touchdown passes … set ACC record with 580 passing yards in defeat to Pittsburgh, he was 52-70 for a 74 percent completion rate against the Panthers … 52 completions broke the previous school record held by Cullen Harper (against Virginia Tech in 2007) by 14 … tossed three touchdowns in the game as well … accounted for three scores, two on the ground, at Wake Forest … ACC Offensive Back of the Week and Manning Award Star of the Week following six-touchdown performance against South Carolina … his touchdown total was a high in the series against the Gamecocks, as he completed 27-33 passes for 347 yards … accounted for five touchdowns in ACC Championship win over Virginia Tech, earning the game’s top honor again … posted 373 yards of total offense against the Hokies’ stout defense … accounted for three touchdowns and was named Most Valuable Offensive Player of the Fiesta Bowl shutout win over Ohio State … posted 463 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns to lead Tigers to dramatic 35-31 win over Alabama in National Championship Game … provided winning score with touchdown toss to Renfrow with one second remaining … rallied Tigers from 14-0 deficit to win school’s second national title.
2015: Davey O’Brien and Manning Award winner as the nation’s best quarterback, he was Clemson’s first winner of both prestigious awards … won the Archie Griffin Award, named after two-time Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State and presented annually to the most valuable player in college football by the Touchdown Club of Columbus … finalist for the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year … first-team All-American by AFCA, Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN.com, Football Writers Association and USA Today … second-team All-American by Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and Walter Camp … ACC Player-of-the-Year and ACC Offensive Player-of-the-Year (media, coaches) … first-team All-ACC (media, coaches) … ACC Championship Game Most Valuable Player … named ACC Male Athlete of the Year recipient … Capital One Orange Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player … four-time ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week, more than any other player … four-time Manning Award Star of the Week … first player in FBS history with at least 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season … fifth nationally in completion percentage away from home (67.9) and fifth in overall completion percentage (67.8) … third nationally among quarterbacks with 1,105 rushing yards … had five 100-yard rushing performances, all in the last six games; only Woodrow Dantzler had more among Clemson quarterbacks … he and Dantzler are the only Tiger quarterbacks in history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season … his average of 6.9 yards per first down rush was seventh-best in the nation among all players with at least 80 attempts … third among all FBS players in touchdown responsibility (47) and eighth in total offense per game (347.3) and touchdown passes (35) … broke Tajh Boyd’s single-season school record for total offense (5,209) … a clutch player, he was 53-74 (.716) for 652 yards and four touchdows (with no interceptions) in the fourth quarter … offensive player-of-the-game against Wofford after compiling a 185.9 passing efficiency … threw for 248 yards and three scores in win over Appalachian State … totaled 253 yards at Louisville, with two touchdown passes … rushed for 93 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown, in win over No. 6 Notre Dame … notched 265 passing yards with two touchdowns to Jordan Leggett in win over Georgia Tech … threw for season-high 420 yards and accounted for all four touchdowns in win over Boston College and its No. 1 ranked defense … earned Leather Helmet Award as the game’s most outstanding player … also ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week for his performance … posted 241 yards of total offense at Miami, with 98 rushing yards in a little over a half … Walter Camp Foundation Offensive Player-of-the-Week after compiling 437 yards of total offense and accounting for six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) at NC State … earned Capital One Impact Performance-of-the-Week and Maxwell Award Player-of-the-Week honors as well after NC State win … named ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week and Manning Award Star-of-the-Week after that showing … had 404 yards of total offense, with 107 on the ground, in win over Florida State … had 473 yards of total offense at Syracuse, rushing for over 100 a second straight game … completed 35-48 passes in the Carrier Dome and accounted for three scores … earned Manning Award Star-of-the-Week, Football Writers Association National Offensive Player-of-the-Week and ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week honors for the performance … had 381 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns against Wake Forest, again earning ACC and Manning acclaim … coaches player-of-the-game versus South Carolina after posting 114 rushing yards and four total touchdowns (three rushing) … produced ACC Championship Game records with 420 yards of offense and five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), leading the Tigers to their 15th title after the 45-37 win over North Carolina … most total offense by any FBS player in a conference title game … rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown and threw for 187 more and a touchdown in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Oklahoma … his rushing mark broke Boyd’s Clemson quarterback bowl record from the 2013 Orange Bowl against Ohio State … set National Championship Game record with 478 yards of total offense, including a passing total of 405 yards … tossed four touchdown passes, including two to Hunter Renfrow in the opening quarter … also rushed for 73 yards against Alabama’s stout defense … shared player-of-the-game honors from coaches with Renfrow.
2014: All-ACC Academic selection … was 93-137 for 1,466 yards and 14 touchdowns against only two interceptions in 330 snaps over eight games (five starts) … completed 67.9 percent of his passes and had a 188.6 pass efficiency rating (best nationally among players with 125 attempts) … had 200 yards and five touchdowns on 63 carries … first in school history in passing efficiency, first in yards per passing attempt (10.70), first in total offense yards per play (8.3), second in completion percentage and tied for 10th in passing touchdowns … first in school history in passing efficiency and completion percentage by a freshman … first in school history in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense by a first-year freshman … three-time ACC Rookie of the Week … was 2-4 for 59 yards and one touchdown against no interceptions at No. 12 Georgia on Aug. 30; it was his first career game … was 8-9 for 154 yards and three touchdowns against no interceptions along with 20 yards on five carries against SC State on Sept. 6 … was 19-28 for 266 yards along with 30 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries at No. 1 Florida State on Sept. 20; named ACC Rookie-of-the-Week; named team offensive player-of-the-game … was 27-36 for 435 yards and a school-record six touchdowns along with 28 rushing yards against North Carolina on Sept. 27; it was his first career start (set 12 school records that day); named national co-performer-of-the-week and national co-quarterback-of-the-week by CFPA; named Davey O’Brien Quarterback-of-the-Week; named Manning Award Quarterback-of-the-Week; named national freshman-of-the-week by CBS Sports; named national true-freshman-of-the-week by 247Sports.com; named ACC Co-Offensive Back-of-the-Week and ACC Rookie-of-the-Week; named team offensive player-of-the-game … set ACC mark for touchdown passes in a game by a freshman, and tied the single-game mark by anyone … was 17-29 for 267 yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions along with a game-high 62 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against NC State on Oct. 4; named ACC Offensive Back-of-the-Week and ACC Rookie-of-the-Week; named ACC player-of-the-week by Athlon … suffered a broken hand in the first quarter against Louisville on Oct. 11 and missed the next three games … was 4-6 for 21 yards along with 40 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with an LCL injury in the first quarter at No. 23 Georgia Tech on Nov. 15 … was 14-19 for 269 yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions along with 13 yards and two touchdowns on five carries against South Carolina on Nov. 29; named team co-offensive player-of-the-game … enrolled in January.
Before Clemson: Rated as the No. 3 player in the nation by Tom Lemming … No. 16 player and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by ESPN … No. 31 player and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and No. 2 player in Georgia by Rivals.com … No. 41 player and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and No. 4 player in Georgia by 247Sports.com … No. 84 player and No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Scout.com … U.S. Army All-American Game selection … Under Armour All-American Game selection … first-team All-American by Parade and second-team All-American by USA Today … four-year starter at Gainesville High School … set state career records for total offense yards (17,134) and total touchdowns (218) … set the state career records for passing touchdowns and total offense yards by the end of his junior season … had 13,077 passing yards and 155 touchdowns along with 4,057 rushing yards and 63 touchdowns in his career … state player-of-the-year as a sophomore, junior and senior … Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in Georgia as a senior … had 4,431 passing yards and 57 touchdowns against only five interceptions along with 1,057 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior … had 5,700 total offense yards and 64 touchdowns, including 4,024 passing yards and 50 touchdowns, as a junior … had over 3,200 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards as a sophomore … had 2,088 passing yards and 17 touchdowns along with 569 rushing yards and five touchdowns in leading his team to a 10-2 record as a freshman … played basketball as a junior … coached by Bruce Miller … recruited by Chad Morris.
Personal: Earned undergraduate degree in communication in December 2016 … born Sept. 14, 1995.
