Does Watson Compare to Vince Young?

After one of the best finishes to a college football game, Clemson overcame the odds and defeated Alabama 35-31. On top of that, many are comparing the poise, numbers, and attributes of Deshaun Watson to Texas Longhorn great Vince Young.

Are these comparisons accurate? Let’s explore it a little deeper.

The reputation of Vince Young is that he is without a doubt one of the top 5-10 college football players of all time. Young finished his freshman year with a 130.6 QBR, compared to Watson, who had an 188.6 QBR (in 8 games).

The difference between the two is that Young improved his QBR over the years, going from the original 130.6 to 128.4, to ultimately a 163.9. Watson, during the 2014-16 span, went from an 188.6 to 156.3, to finally a 151.1 by the end of the 2016 season.

Another standard you have to look at is the weapons that each had during their time.

Young had Cedric Benson during his freshman year at Texas, but besides that, what else did he really have? A young Jamal Charles for two years?

During the Watson era, he had Wayne Gallman, who has been playing a significantly larger role than any running back in Texas did during the 2004-06 era.

During each championship run, Texas ran the ball 119 times with their leading rusher, Jamal Charles. For Clemson, they handed the ball off to Gallman 232 times. Gallman is also responsible for 4 more touchdowns than Charles in each championship run.

Clemson relied heavily on other receivers and Wayne Gallman, whereas Young had a lot less to work with during his college days.

Am I saying that Watson won’t be as great as Young in the pros? Considering Young made two Pro Bowls, yet never completed 16 games, there’s a very good chance that Watson could become a better NFL quarterback.

The topic at hand is that Young was a much better college quarterback than Deshaun Watson, and the numbers are the proof in every aspect.