The start of the 2024 NFL Combine is quickly approaching, as player workouts will begin on Thursday, Feb. 29, lasting until Monday, March 4. The event is widely viewed as one of the most important steps in the NFL Draft process, which can drastically impact where a prospect is selected.
Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt attended the NFL Combine in 2017. How well did one of the NFL’s best defensive players perform in the pre-draft event?
T.J. Watt’s 2017 NFL Combine Performance
Watt was born on October 11, 1994, in Pewaukee, Wis. As the youngest of three sons, T.J. had two strong role models to watch growing up, his older brothers J.J. Watt and Derek Watt. Both are former NFL players, with the former likely being an eventual Hall of Famer.
T.J. grew up in Pewaukee, where he attended Pewaukee High School and followed in the footsteps of his older brothers. Despite the family ties, Watt was just a three-star recruit coming out of high school and committed to the University of Wisconsin.
After starting his collegiate career as a tight end and battling a knee injury, Watt was asked to switch to outside linebacker in 2015. He embraced the position change, and after the fourth game of his junior season, Watt led the Big Ten Conference in sacks.
In his lone season as a starting outside linebacker, Watt finished with 63 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, four passes defended, and one interception. He officially entered the 2017 NFL Draft following his stellar 2016 season.
At the 2017 NFL Combine, T.J. Watt was able to showcase his size and athleticism on the biggest stage in the NFL’s pre-draft process. At 6’4″ and 252 pounds with 33 1/8″ arms and 11″ hands, it was easy to see that Watt had the size to succeed at the next level.
Watt was able to truly put his athleticism on display during the NFL Combine’s drills. Although his 4.69-second time in the 40-yard dash and 21 bench press reps were relatively unimpressive, Watt impressed in several other drills. He ran a 4.13-second 20-yard shuttle and a 6.79-second three-cone drill. His vertical jump was 37″, and his broad jump was 10’8″.
Following his strong showing at the 2017 NFL Combine, Watt was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He started 15 games in his rookie season, finishing with 54 total tackles, seven sacks, and one interception.
After a promising rookie season, Watt has quickly become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He’s been named to six consecutive Pro Bowls, is a four-time first-team All-Pro, and won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021.
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