Florida 2025 five-star WR Winston Watkins Jr. evaluating Top 16 schools
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
VENICE, Fla. – Since his eighth-grade year at the varsity level with Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, Winston Watkins Jr. (5-11, 185) has been on a special trajectory towards collegiate glory. Name the school and the Class of 2025 five-star prospect has an open invitation to join the roster next season. As the senior campaign draws near for the talented receiver, Watkins is preparing for a state title run with Venice High School and has narrowed his recruiting focus to 16 programs.
July 4th brought extra reasons for coaches and fans to be happy with Winston announcing his top schools: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pitt, Penn State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Texas.
How the schools were determined was explained by Watkins, “It was really off what fit me best and also off connections with the coaches. There are some coaches that I don’t talk to as much; offers have been there from my freshman year all the way through to my senior year, but I don’t talk to everybody like I used to.”
On the messaging from the top schools, each has something in common per Watkins, “All the schools in my top 16 are telling me that I fit their program, they feel like in certain ways that I can help them, and some are saying I could come in right now and be a guy for them. I feel that all 16 of my top schools would be beneficial to me in the path I want to take to my dream – the NFL.”
Recent unofficial visits have been taken to Florida, Clemson, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Syracuse with South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Indiana hosting Watkins on official trips in May and June.
Asked about plans to take more official visits, Watkins replied, “I am working on them now but I’m not 100 percent sure yet. I am focused on getting ready for the season. Over time I will figure it out and plan them. Right now, I am getting ready for the season.”
Holding his commitment until National Signing Day, the five-star will be evaluating his top schools this fall.
“First, I will look at the coach, the offensive coordinator, and the position coach to see what the benefit is for me,” Watkins said. “At the end of the day, I am going there to become the best me, to develop as a man and become the best Winston Watkins. I want to make sure any school that I go visit that they can meet all the criteria so I can be the best me, then I will look at their wins, and everything else that comes into play. Before all of that, I will look to see if it benefits me.”
Watkins added, “I am looking at the situation. If there is a better situation at another school, that is what I want to look at. I want to figure everything out. At Ohio State, you will have a different situation because they are getting a bunch of guys but at other schools, they may have less guys and the situation would be different there.
“Each situation is different; you can make it from any school it just depends on which way you want to take it. If you want to play early, if you want to battle it out for a spot, you have to earn it anywhere you go, but some places will be harder than others. Do you want to compete for a starting spot, but you may have to wait later, or do you want to go somewhere starting while you are still developing. I’m looking at all that type of stuff.”
The Venice Indians begin their 2024 season on the road against Tampa Bay Tech on Aug. 23.