Running back, Memphis (from Old Dominion), 2018–⁠23

Blake Watson

Number
No. 4
Height
5′9″
Weight
195 lb
Class (2023)
Senior
Hometown
Queens, NY
Born
Oct 14, 1999

Blake Watson played running back at Old Dominion (2018–⁠22) and Memphis (2023).

At a glance

Best season
1,152
Rushing yards, 2023 (Memphis, 10–⁠3)
Best game
256 yards
At Coastal Carolina, week 7, 2022: No. 1 rushing game in FBS that week

Career highs

256rushing yards, career highat Coastal Carolina, 20223rushing touchdowns, career hightwice; last vs. Bethune-Cookman, 20239catches, career highvs. Missouri, 2023100receiving yards, career highat North Texas, 2023

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2019Old Dominion251164.6120
2021Old Dominion2151,1125.2846
2022Old Dominion1578975.7567
2023Memphis1921,1526.01469
Career5893,2775.62869

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2019Old Dominion13796.1025
2021Old Dominion10555.5113
2022Old Dominion373148.5236
2023Memphis534859.2363
Career1139338.3663

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTD
2018Old Dominion1180
2019Old Dominion246330
2023Memphis150
Career266560

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2018Old Dominion4RBYr 1
2019Old Dominion4RBYr 2
2020Old Dominion4RBYr 3
2021Old Dominion4RBYr 4
2022Old Dominion4RBYr 5
2023Memphis4RBSr. (Yr 6)5′9″195

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2019Old Dominion360.24––8.76%–
2021Old Dominion1840.1753rd (n=277)0.1631.430%0.16
2022Old Dominion1960.2271st (n=470)0.1442.330%0.23
2023Memphis2420.2575th (n=450)0.1761.227%0.15

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2023 Memphis 13 games, 1,152 rushing yards, 14 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 2vs.Bethune-CookmanW 56–⁠14107535370
Sep 9atArkansas StateW 37–⁠3205104250
Sep 14vs.NavyW 28–⁠241016916680
Sep 23vs.MissouriL 27–⁠34184709831
Sep 30vs.Boise StateW 35–⁠321911322200
Oct 13vs.TulaneL 21–⁠315130–––
Oct 21atUABW 45–⁠212112513150
Oct 28atNorth TexasW 45–⁠4217169251000
Nov 4vs.South FloridaW 59–⁠5010641140
Nov 11atCharlotteW 44–⁠38228328411
Nov 18vs.SMUL 34–⁠38104113310
Nov 24atTempleW 45–⁠21159514391
Dec 29 ✦atIowa StateW 36–⁠261510703220
2022 Old Dominion 11 games, 897 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 2vs.Virginia TechW 20–⁠1719561290
Sep 10atEast CarolinaL 21–⁠395450210
Sep 17atVirginiaL 14–⁠1621700–––
Oct 1vs.LibertyL 24–⁠38158006601
Oct 15atCoastal CarolinaW 49–⁠21182563–––
Oct 22vs.Georgia SouthernL 23–⁠28161081150
Oct 29atGeorgia StateL 17–⁠31145304130
Nov 5vs.MarshallL 0–⁠12102805360
Nov 12vs.James MadisonL 3–⁠37112204290
Nov 19atApp StateL 14–⁠27106907730
Nov 26atSouth AlabamaL 20–⁠271811006881
2021 Old Dominion 11 games, 1,112 rushing yards, 8 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 3atWake ForestL 10–⁠4215550110
Sep 25vs.BuffaloL 34–⁠3513811–––
Oct 2atUTEPL 21–⁠2813350–––
Oct 9atMarshallL 13–⁠20261680–––
Oct 16vs.Western KentuckyL 20–⁠43221041–––
Oct 30vs.Louisiana TechW 23–⁠20251080330
Nov 6atFlorida InternationalW 47–⁠242815821110
Nov 13vs.Florida AtlanticW 30–⁠162316311110
Nov 20atMiddle TennesseeW 24–⁠1718570141
Nov 27vs.CharlotteW 56–⁠341810621110
Dec 20 ✦vs.TulsaL 17–⁠30147712140
2019 Old Dominion 11 games, 116 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 31vs.Norfolk StateW 24–⁠21–––130
Sep 7atVirginia TechL 17–⁠31170490
Sep 21atVirginiaL 17–⁠2861301250
Sep 28vs.East CarolinaL 21–⁠24240160
Oct 5vs.Western KentuckyL 3–⁠20––––––
Oct 12atMarshallL 17–⁠311301110
Oct 19atUABL 14–⁠38––––––
Oct 26vs.Florida AtlanticL 3–⁠41120100
Nov 9vs.UTSAL 23–⁠24––––––
Nov 23atMiddle TennesseeL 17–⁠3864002210
Nov 30vs.CharlotteL 22–⁠388471240
2018 Old Dominion 1 game, 1 return, 18 yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Nov 17vs.VMIW 77–⁠14––––––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

MVP of the 2024 Hula Bowl.

DrillPro day 2024
Height5′9½″
Weight200 lb
Arm length29⅞″
Hand size8¾″
40-yard dash4.40 s
10-yard split1.55 s
Vertical jump41½″
Broad jump11′3″
3-cone drill7.13 s
20-yard shuttle4.32 s

Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Rosters and honors: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

1 season, 1 game with a stat; latest team: Tennessee Titans.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2024Denver Broncos14100113

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat.

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