University of Connecticut Athletics
Three Huskies Named to Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist
8/24/2023 12:00:00 PM | Football
STORRS, Conn. - The 11th Annual Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist was released this week with UConn seniors Christian Haynes (Bowie, MD), Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, CT) and Eric Watts (Sumter, SC) have been named to this year's list. Â
The Reese's Senior Bowl scouting team has been working since last January to identify the "best of the best" draft prospects at every level of college football for the 2024 NFL Draft. All 720 position players (non-specialists) who made the list were evaluated by their staff and tape-based grades were logged on hundreds of other senior prospects. Every player on the list is eligible to participate in an all-star game as either a 2019 high school graduate or true four-year player (with five or more games played in three previous seasons). This list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as December 2021 (or earlier) graduates.
Haynes has been named a 2023 preseason All-American by the Sporting News (1st team), Athlon Sports (2nd team offense), and Walter Camp Preseason. He has been named to the watch lists for the 023 Outland Trophy watch list given to the best interior lineman in college football, and The Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field.
Mitchell has appeared on three watch lists this preseason, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Butkus Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and The Wuerffel Trophy. He was a 2022 Butkus Award semifinalist. Â
All three players were among players also named to the to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
The Huskies open the season next Thursday, August 31 when they host NC State at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Retnschler Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm on CBS Sports Network.
About Reese's Senior Bowl:Â
The Reese's Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile the past 74 years. More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1,100 media members from around the country were credentialed last year. In each of the past three years, the Reese's Senior Bowl has had 100 or more players drafted and over 40 percent of the entire draft class, which are both record-setting figures for any all-star game.Â
