Six weeks after leaving Notre Dame, Nick Watkins has a new home. Reportedly.
First reported by 247Sports.com and subsequently confirmed by the Houston Chronicle, Watkins has decided to continue his collegiate playing career at Houston. As a graduate transfer from Notre Dame, the defensive back will be eligible immediately to play for the Cougars in what will be his final season.
In addition to UH, TCU, West Virginia and SMU had been in play for Watkins.
BREAKING: Former #NotreDame cornerback Nick Watkins will graduate transfer to #Houston. He's eligible immediately.
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) June 8, 2018
He went in-depth with @247Sports about his decision to play for the Cougars. He also discussed his time with the Irish. https://t.co/wSfac4raWV @WhippinTheNick_ pic.twitter.com/6O9nRXiO9Y
Notre Dame cornerback Nick Watkins (@WhippinTheNick_ ) will gaduate transfer to Houston and is eligible to play immediately. First reported by @TomLoy247
— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) June 8, 2018
Watkins played in 35 games the past four years for the Fighting Irish, including a dozen this past season. In 2017, Watkins set career-highs with 29 tackles and eight passes defensed.
Watkins’ entire 2016 season was wiped out by a broken arm sustained in spring practice, leading to a medical hardship waiver that gave him another year of eligibility.
With this move, Watkins becomes the sixth transfer from a Power Five program to join Houston this offseason, the others being Ole Miss safety Deontay Anderson (HERE), Tennessee quarterback Quinten Dormady (HERE), Miami linebacker Darrion Owens (HERE), Utah wide receiver Raelon Singleton (HERE) and Baylor running back Terence Williams (HERE). Additionally, defensive end Isaiah Chambers transferred in from TCU last August and, after sitting out the 2017 season, will be eligible to play this season as well.
Like Watkins, Dormady, Owens, Singleton and Williams are all graduate transfer and eligible to play in 2018. Anderson is also immediately eligible because of the waiver granted to him by the NCAA as a result of Ole Miss’ issues.