Former Clemson Tigers star receiver Sammy Watkins made his mark on the Buffalo Bills as a rookie last season, and showed the potential that he has to become an NFL superstar. He was immediately thrown into the number one wide receiver role, and was a big reason that Kyle Orton was able to succeed after taking over the starting quarterback job.
There are high expectations for Watkins heading into his second season, and the Bills couldn’t be any more excited about their chances to get back into the playoffs.
Watkins went into the offseason hoping to take a big leap forward towards becoming the superstar that the Bills want him to become, but a nagging hip injury forced him to have surgery. He has missed most of the offseason to this point, but is ready to go for training camp according to a report from ESPN.
During his rookie season with the Bills last year, Watkins caught 65 passes for 982 yards and six touchdowns. He should have had at least one more touchdown, but got caught celebrating earlier and was brought down shortly before the end zone.
Buffalo still has some question marks surrounding who their starting quarterback will be, but at this point in time E.J. Manuel seems like the likely option.
Rex Ryan was hired to be the Bills’ new head coach earlier this offseason, and he is going to bring the cocky attitude that young teams need. He brought it to the New York Jets and got them to two straight AFC Championship games, and now will help players like Watkins play with complete confidence and to the best of their abilities.
There is no question that Watkins has the potential to vault himself into stardom in his second NFL season. He has every single physical tool necessary to succeed among the best in the league, and the Bills have him in an excellent position to succeed.
Expect to see Watkins come through with a huge season from a statistical standpoint, and to help lead the Bills back into playoff contention. They may not end up making the playoffs this season, but they certainly have the talent on their roster to make it into a Wild Card game at least.
Watkins is one of their cornerstones for the future, and the sky is the limit for him heading into the 2015 season.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
