Dekoda Watson facts for kids
Watson with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | March 3, 1988 Aiken, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | South Aiken | ||||||||||||
| College: | Florida State | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 7 / Pick: 217 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Dekoda Watson (born March 3, 1988) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker. He was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL draft. Before playing professionally, he played college football at Florida State University.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Dekoda Watson grew up in Aiken, South Carolina. He went to South Aiken High School. There, he was a star athlete in both football and track.
In high school football, Dekoda was a strong defensive player. As a senior, he made 123 tackles and 11 sacks. This earned him honors like being named to the all-state team. In his junior year, he also had many tackles and sacks. He was even named the Defensive MVP in a special game called the North Carolina–South Carolina Shrine Bowl.
Dekoda was also very good at track and field. He won two state titles in 2006. He won the triple jump and was part of the winning 4 × 100 meter relay team. He also finished second in the 100-meter dash.
Experts thought Dekoda was a top player. He chose to play college football at Florida State. He picked Florida State over other big schools like South Carolina and Tennessee.
College Football Career
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At Florida State, Dekoda Watson quickly made an impact. In his first year, he played in 12 games. He was one of the top first-year players in tackles. He even earned a spot on the All-ACC Freshman Team.
As a sophomore, Dekoda started every game. He was one of the top tacklers on his team. In his junior year, he continued to be a key player. He ranked fourth among his team's defenders in tackles.
Professional Football Career
Dekoda Watson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010. He signed a four-year contract with them. He played for the Buccaneers for four seasons.
After his time with the Buccaneers, Dekoda played for several other NFL teams. He joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014. Later that year, he also played for the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2015, Dekoda signed with the New England Patriots. He had a few short stints with them that year.
In 2016, he signed with the Denver Broncos. He played one season there before moving to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. He signed a three-year deal with the 49ers. During his time with the 49ers, he dealt with some injuries.
In 2019, Dekoda was traded back to the Denver Broncos. Later that year, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He played his final NFL game with the Seahawks. Throughout his career, Dekoda Watson was known for his strong play as a linebacker.
Images for kids
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Watson with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010
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Dekoda Watson playing for Florida State in 2009
