Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Looking Back At Texas Tech First Round Draft Picks

By Matthew Conner

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 17: Raider Red is seen before the Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Butler Bulldogs in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 17, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 17: Raider Red is seen before the Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Butler Bulldogs in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 17, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Ted Watts – Defensive Back

It would be a decade-and-a-half before another Texas Tech Red Raider would be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.  In 1981, defensive back Ted Watts was selected No. 21 overall by the Oakland Raiders.

The native of Tarpon Springs, Florida spent six years in the NFL, four with Oakland, and one with the New York Giants and one with the San Diego Chargers. His career highlight came in 1984 when he helped Oakland capture Super Bowl XVIII.

Watts appears in 74 career regular season games and eight playoff games, starting 25 regular season contests. He is credited with five career interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

At 6-foot-0 and 190-pounds, Ted Watts was a hard hitting safety at Texas Tech in an era when the position required players to stop the run as often as play the pass.  Watts earned all-SWC honors twice in his career but it was a singular play in an upset that made him a Texas Tech legend.

In November of 1978,  Ted Watts played in a home game against No. 18 SMU (which featured the “Pony Express” tandem of Erick Dickerson and Craig James) despite having a broken jaw.  Playing with a plaster molding on his face mask to protect his jaw, Watts stuffed an SMU run at the goal line to preserve a 19-16 upset win.

Watts earned all-American honors after his senior season making him the second Red Raider DB to do so.  He is one of only two Texas Tech defensive players to be round one draft picks in the NFL.

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