Watkins on CBs: "I Don't Think We Have a Ceiling"

It took Nick Watkins almost two years at Notre Dame before he got his chance. After injuries to veteran cornerbacks KeiVarae Russell and Devin Butler, Watkins went from someone who barely played to a starter against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

He held his own against a tough opponent and it looked like it was the start of something. With Russell gone to the NFL after the 2015 season, the door was wide open for Watkins to take the cornerback job opposite Cole Luke. It appeared to be all coming together for the former blue-chip recruit out of Bishop Dunne in Dallas, Texas in the spring of 2016.

Then it happened. Just as Watkins had been playing his best ball since he arrived in South Bend, he broke his arm and was out for the rest of spring. That starting job would still likely be his, he would just have to wait a few more months to be healthy before he could lock it down. At least, that was the plan.

We know now that the plan didn't work out the way it was supposed to. He was projected to be back healthy for fall camp, but the bone did not heal enough for him to get cleared. From there, things kept repeating. They kept checking back on it and it never healed the way they wanted it to. The 2016 season was supposed to be a breakout one for Watkins, but it ended up being a nightmare.

There was not much he could do to get back on the field. He just had to wait.

“There were moments, like mid-summer and before Michigan State...there were moments where I thought I was going to be back, but the x-ray showed otherwise," Watkins said after practice last weekend. "So I mean, it was definitely tough, but I just stayed positive. If I didn’t stay positive, I probably wouldn’t be out here to be honest. But I am where I am because of God, my family, my friends and my coaches.”

During last season there were many instances where it would have been easy to give up. In fact, there were many who speculated that Watkins' football career may be over with no guarantee of his arm healing properly after multiple surgeries. What kept him going and believing that he could come back had everything to do with his attitude and the support from those around him.

"It’s great (to be healthy). All glory to God. I just stayed positive. My family kept me up. My friends, my coaches...they just kept me up. I stayed positive. I was in the training room and I did everything I could to get back out here. And now I’m here.”

Here is starting at boundary corner where Watkins has finally taken the spot that was supposed to be his after the Ohio State game. Not many knew what to expect from him after his time off, but he came out of the gates sprinting at the start of spring ball. He hasn't looked back since.

Even Watkins didn't know that he was physically ready to compete until he actually got back out there and did it. But as soon as he got that first practice out of the way, he felt great. After all of the frustration of sitting out, "I found the fun in the game again," said Watkins.

In some ways, the time off might have actually helped his outlook on football.

"That break just made me realize how much I love the game, how much I missed the game, and just to have fun with it because you just never know what’s going to happen. I just try to have fun with it every day.”

Let's be honest, football is a lot more fun when you're on the field and playing well. Watkins has been playing really well at the start of fall camp and he isn't the only one. Along with Julian Love, Shaun Crawford, and Donte Vaughn, it's starting to look like their position group could be a strength of the defense. And according to Watkins, the group is just starting to scratch the surface as to how good they can be.

“Yeah, I think we’re good," Watkins admitted. "We’re not where we want to be, but...I don’t think we have a ceiling. We can be as good as we want to be."