Washburn University Athletics

At Washburn: Returns as a three-year starter at inside linebacker where he has started all 34 games of his Washburn career … he enters his senior season with 362 total tackles which rank second in school history … he needs 98 tackles to become the Ichabods’ all-time leader … he also is second on the Washburn assisted tackle chart with 196 and fourth in solo tackles with 166 … he has recorded three of the top 20 single-season tackle totals in school history … has eight career interceptions which rank eighth all-time at Washburn … entering 2009 he is a preseason second team All-American by Consensus Draft Services.

In 2008: Led the Ichabods with 119 total tackles, which was second in the MIAA and 10th in the nation … he had 58 solo stops with 61 assisted tackles … named first team all-MIAA, Daktronics first team all-region, Don Hansen’s Football Gazette first team all-region … earned All-American honors from the Football Gazette with second team honors and d2football.com honorable mention accolades … named the MIAA’s Defensive Player of the Week following the Missouri Western game which he had 16 tackles with nine solo stops and two interceptions including the game clincher as time expired in the end zone … had a season-high 17 tackles against Northwest Missouri … led the MIAA with five interceptions … named the Ichabods’ defensive most valuable player as well as the teams’ overall MVP … equally as impressive in the classroom, he earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine first team academic all-district honors and second team Academic All-American honors … also named to MIAA’s Scholar Athlete team and to the MIAA’s Academic Honor Roll … was Washburn’s nominee for the Ken B. Jones Award for the MIAA’s student athlete of the year award.

In 2007: Led the Ichabods with 143 total tackles, which is second on the Washburn single-season chart … his total included 64 solo tackles which ranks tied for eight at Washburn and 79 assisted tackles which is second in single-season history for the Ichabods … he recorded 20 tackles against Central Missouri with eight solo stops and two tackles for loss … twice named the MIAA’s Defensive Player of the Week after recording 19 tackles with eight solo stops with a tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and a 29-yard interception return against Colorado Mines … his second conference POW award came against Pittsburg State after recording 12 tackles with a tackle for loss and an interception … he earned first team all-MIAA honors and was named Washburn’s outstanding linebacker as well … he recorded double-digit tackles in eight games … earned second team Daktronics all-region honors and Football Gazette first team all-region honors … successful in the classroom as well as he was named to the MIAA’s all-academic team and to the MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … also named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA all-academic all-district first team.

In 2006: A second team Daktronics all-region pick after leading the MIAA and the Ichabods with 100 tackles including 44 solo stops … earned honorable mention all-MIAA honors … finished with 11 tackles for loss with two sacks … returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown against Emporia State and a fumble 72 yards for a touchdown against Northwest Missouri … the 2006 MIAA and Ichabod Freshman of the Year was named to MIAA’s all-academic team … recorded a career-high 16 tackles against Missouri Southern tying him for the fifth highest single-game total since 1997 … named Ichabods’ defensive skill player of the week after the Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern games.

In 2005: Sat out the season as a redshirt.

Background: Football and basketball captain two seasons …?named Most Inspirational Player in 2004 … named all-conference and all-area as a junior and all-conference, all-area, all-metro, all-district, all-Metro Sports Television and first team all-state as a senior after recording 151 total tackles including 120 solo stops with one interception, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 32 tackles for loss …graduated with a 4.35 GPA which was 11th in his graduation class of 386.

Personal: Born Jan. 31, 1987 … son of Bruce and Jayme Watkins … majoring in finance.