Four-star recruit Tamarion Watkins isn't just the next big name out of "Football City, USA." He is the next legacy out of Rock Hill, SC, and he just might be bringing that greatness to Columbia. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound safety from Northwestern High School has finalized his list of potential programs to commit to. South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, and Texas A&M are the five schools on Watkins list, and the Gamecocks are leading the pack.
Watkins has grown up around the game with his brothers playing college ball. Not to mention the talent that has come out of his hometown. Now, Watkins is ready to create his own legacy.
Watkins is rated at 5.9 on Rivals, No. 187 nationally, No. 4 in South Carolina, and the No. 11 safety. On3 also lists him as the No. 5 player in the Palmetto State. He is a pure SEC-caliber athlete, full of instinct and explosiveness. But for Watkins himself, playing football is more than stats, it's about standard.
“Even when we were at the top, it’s just never enough,” Watkins told 247Sports. “You just want to outwork everybody."
That mindset is what has helped lead Northwestern HS to a perfect 14-0 state championship last season, and now Watkins is itching to make history with back-to-back titles.
"Some of the kids around town think of me as such a, like, high-status person, and it’s like, ‘I remember when I was that kid,’” he said. “It’s crazy how everything comes full circle.”
With his combination of size, physicality, and leadership, Watkins could be the kind of in-state anchor that Shane Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White can build around. The Gamecocks need playmakers in the secondary, and Watkins could be next in line to do just that.