Baylor believed in offensive tackle Danny Watkins' potential. Now, so does Canada.
The British Columbia Lions selected Watkins, a senior-to-be, with the fourth overall pick in the CFL draft on Sunday.
Watkins became a JUCO All-American at Butte (Calif.) College before coming to Baylor, after he didn't play high school football. Of course, the British Columbia native played hockey. Before playing football in California, he was working as a fireman in his native country.
Now, even if the NFL doesn't come calling for the 6-foot-4, 310-pound lineman, he can go back home to continue his career.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be selected in the CFL draft,” Watkins said in a release. “It’s definitely an exciting time for me and I’m anxious to see what awaits as I head into my senior year here at Baylor.”
Watkins was named to the Lombardi Award watch list last week, and is gearing up for his second season starting for the Bears.
Watkins is the second player from the Big 12 in two years to be selected in the draft, which is six rounds long and 48 total picks. Last year, Kansas safety Tang Bacheyie was drafted, also by the Lions, in the fourth round. Bacheyie is a native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Before that, no player from the conference had been picked since 2003, when Nebraska defensive tackle and Zaire native Patrick Kabongo was drafted in the third round by Edmonton Eskimos.
