21. J.J. Watt
Team: Houston Texans
Position: DE
Experience: 8 Years
The Houston Texans selected DE J.J. Watt out of Wisconsin with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Like many others, Watt forgave his senior season in college to join the NFL. After transferring to Wisconsin from Central Michigan for his sophomore and junior seasons, Watt became a can’t miss prospect in the 2011 draft. In his senior year at Wisconsin, Watt totaled 62 tackles (21 for a loss) along with 7.0 sacks. His excellent play earned him the Ronnie Lott Trophy in 2010 as the defensive impact player of the year.
Watt has been terrorizing offenses since he stepped foot into the league. In his rookie season with the Texans, Watt started in all 16 games and finished with two fumble recoveries, 13 tackles for losses, and 5.5 sacks. He leaped to super-stardom during his 2nd season in 2012, when he received his first All-Pro and Pro-Bowl nominations. He did this by reeling off 69 tackles including 39 for loss along with 20.5 sacks, both of which led the NFL. Watt was the young leader of Houston’s defensive unit that ranked top 10 in yardage and scoring.
The three year stretch following 2012 was more of the same for Watt. He continued to produce all over the field, racking up three more All-Pro and Pro-Bowl selections. However, the success of the team was not directly correlated to Watt’s dominance, as Houston suffered a rough 2-14 year in 2013, followed by back-to back 9-7 seasons as new head coach Bill O’Brien took over the team. Watt became a household name throughout these seasons and solidified his name with the greats in 2014 as he became the first player in NFL history with 20+ sacks in two seasons.
The next two years were disappointing for Watt as he managed to play in just eight games over the two year span. He had surgery for a herniated disc in his back in July 2016, but started the regular season on time. He played in only three games before re-injuring his back and needing another surgery that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Watt looked healthy for 2017 and he started the first 5 games on the season before suffering a leg tibia plateau fracture, knocking him out the remaining 11 games of 2017.
There were question marks surrounding Watt’s future in the league after multiple severe injuries and surgeries. Watt put the doubts to rest as he returned for a full 16 games in 2018 at the elite level fans are used. He totaled 16.0 sacks and 7 forced fumbles, stats that put him 2nd and 1st in the league respectively. He received All-Pro and Pro-Bowl honors for the fifth time in his career. With the health concerns in his past, Watt looks primed to have another All-Pro season in 2019.
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