3-time state champion chosen in NFL Draft [Video]

The Cleveland Browns selected Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson at No. 206 in the NFL Draft on Saturday.

The sixth-round pick was a standout at Maplesville High School.

Watson was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press and was a finalist for the Butkus Award after he led the league with 137 tackles and 10 sacks during the 2023 season. He became the first player to lead the SEC in both stats in the same season.

After his sixth season at Mississippi State, Watson played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile and participated in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

At the combine, Watson measured 6-foot-2, weighed 233 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds.

At Maplesville, Watson was an All-State selection as a wide receiver in 2016, when he had 45 receptions for 1,070 yards and 12 touchdowns, and in the …