The Birmingham Stallions have sent another player to the NFL. WR Austin Watkins has signed with the Cleveland Browns, making him the third Stallion to officially sign with an NFL team.
#Browns are signing Austin Watkins, per a league source @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 21, 2023
Austin Watkins played in the USFL this past season, and performed well despite dealing with some injuries along the way. He finished the year with 197 receiving yards, and a touchdown. In fact, his score was Birmingham’s first of the USFL 2023 season.
J'Mar Smith is back! How about this 61 yard dime to Austin Watkins to kick off the @USFLStallions season?@jMar_Smith has one of the best moonballs in the entire #USFL. That was on full display here. An absolute beauty. pic.twitter.com/T9gCrOF2bo
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) April 16, 2023
Watkins eventually won the USFL 2023 Championship with Birmingham, and now will head to the NFL. He’s a local kid, having played for the UAB Blazers from 2017-2019.
His junior season was quite impressive, racking up 1,092 receiving yards and six touchdowns. After a short stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Watkins ended up heading to the USFL.
Austin Watkins. This man is 6’3 moving like this. The combination of size, speed, and fluidity within his routes >>>>> pic.twitter.com/8odMI25REH
— Pierre (@PierreB3_) January 29, 2021
After a successful workout with the Cleveland Browns, he has signed with the team ahead of training camp. Had it not been for the platform – and the national exposure – that the USFL provided him with, who knows if this opportunity would have come along.
You can stay up to date on all these USFL to NFL signings with our official tracker.
What are your thoughts on Austin Watkins heading to the Cleveland Browns? Which USFL player will be next? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
