Texans get UW's Watt at No. 11; Carimi goes to Bears
Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt was selected by the Houston Texans with the 11th overall pick.
By Jeff Potrykus of the Journal Sentinel
J.J. Watt's remarkable journey, from joining the Wisconsin program as a walk-on in 2008 to earning first-team All-American honors as a redshirt junior in 2010, continued Thursday night.
The 6-foot-5, 289-pound defensive end from Pewaukee was the 11th player selected in the National Football League draft, going to the Houston Texans.
Only one other defensive end was selected before Watt: Aldon Smith of Missouri went No. 7 to San Francisco.
Speaking to reporters in Houston by phone from New York City, Watt spoke enthusiastically and boldly.
"The goal is to sack Peyton Manning is what everybody around here has been saying," he said, referring to the magnificent quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. "So that's my job."
Former UW offensive tackle Gabe Carimi had to wait 18 picks after Watt went off the board to hear his name called. Carimi, from Monona Grove High School, was selected No. 29 by the Chicago Bears.
A four-year starter at UW, Carimi last season won the Outland Trophy, given annually to the top offensive lineman in the nation.
However, other offensive tackles were selected in front of Carimi on Thursday.
Tyron Smith of Southern California went No. 9 to Dallas, Colorado's Nate Solder went No. 17 to New England and Boston College's Anthony Castonzo went No. 22 to Indianapolis.
Alabama tackle James Carpenter was taken No. 25 by Seattle, but he is projected to move inside to guard.
Carimi, who said he would be comfortable playing left or right tackle, didn't seem to mind.
"I can't wait to step on that field," Carimi said during a conference call with reporters. "My first NFL game will be as a Bear and I'm pumped for it."
Chicago, which won the NFC North Division last season, lost to Green Bay in the NFC title game.
The Packers this season play at Chicago on Sept. 25 and host the Bears on Dec. 25.
Carimi's job will be to help protect quarterback Jay Cutler, who was sacked 52 times last season.
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who believes Carimi could play right tackle or guard in the NFL, lauded his toughness.
"This kid will get your running game going," he said during ESPN's broadcast. "Nobody battles harder in the trenches than Gabe Carimi."
Thursday marked the fourth time two former UW players were taken in the first round of the same draft.
The last time that happened was 2001, when cornerback Jamar Fletcher was taken No. 26 by Miami and tailback Michael Bennett went No. 27 to Minnesota.
Watt joins a Houston team that uses a 4-3 front as its base defense and last season finished tied for third in the AFC South with a 6-10 record. The Texans finished 30th in the league in total yards allowed (376.9) and 29th in points allowed (26.7 per game).
Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips told reporters in Houston that Watt could play end or outside linebacker and that he expected the former UW star to help immediately.
"I think he can play anything you want him to play," Phillips said. "You take a kid with the 11th pick in the draft and you expect him to play and help you this season.
"I think he's just a really good football player. He led their team in sacks, caused fumbles, hurries and blocked kicks. He was second on their team in tackles and he was second on their team in passes defensed.
"This guy makes a lot of plays."
Watt, the fourth defensive player taken Thursday, became UW's 25th first-round pick and Carimi became No. 26.
UW's last first-round pick was offensive tackle Joe Thomas in 2007 to Cleveland. Thomas was the No. 3 overall pick and has played in the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons.
Watt, who played tight end as a freshman at Central Michigan before transferring to UW and played defensive end for just two seasons, led the Badgers in sacks (seven), tackles for loss (21) and quarterback hurries (10) last season. He finished with 62 tackles, tied for the No. 2 mark on the team, and added nine passes broken up, three forced fumbles and three blocked kicks.
"This is a self-made man," ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said during the network broadcast. "Started as a tight end at Central Michigan, transferred . . . became the scout team player of the year and turns himself into a 285-pound wrecking machine.
"I've seen him take these non-blocking tight ends in football apart. If you're a non-blocking tight end, this guy will punish you."
Watt once more gave credit to his parents.
"The one thing my parents always told me is if you're going to do something, do it 100%," he said. "That's what I try to do on the football field, because I feel like I'd be disrespecting the game if I didn't go 100% all the time."
UW PLAYERS DRAFTED IN FIRST ROUND
Year Player Pick Team
1937 Ed Jankowski 9 Green Bay Packers
1941 George Paskvan 7 Green Bay Packers
1944 Pat Harder 2 Chicago Cardinals
1945 Elroy Hirsch 5 Cleveland Browns
1947 Don Kindt 11 Chicago Bears
1948 Earl Girard 7 Green Bay Packers
1955 Alan Ameche 2 Baltimore Colts
1963 Pat Richter 7 Washington Redskins
1976 Dennis Lick 8 Chicago Bears
1980 Ray Snell 22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1985 Al Toon 10 New York Jets
1985 Richard Johnson 11 Houston Oilers
1985 Darryl Sims 20 Pittsburgh Steelers
1988 Paul Gruber 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1992 Troy Vincent 7 Miami Dolphins
1999 Aaron Gibson 27 Detroit Lions
2000 Ron Dayne 11 New York Giants
2000 Chris McIntosh 22 Seattle Seahawks
2001 Jamar Fletcher 26 Miami Dolphins
2001 Michael Bennett 27 Minnesota Vikings
2002 Wendell Bryant 12 Arizona Cardinals
2004 Lee Evans 13 Buffalo Bills
2005 Erasmus James 18 Minnesota Vikings
2007 Joe Thomas 3 Cleveland Browns
2011 J.J. Watt 11 Houston Texans
2011 Gabe Carimi 29 Chicago Bears