Watson heads into first NFL camp with ‘open mind, open book’

As he prepares to embark on his first NFL training camp, Deshaun Watson will employ the same approach he’s used since honing his skills on the fields of his youth in Gainesville, Georgia.

Study.

Work hard.

Listen to his coaches.

“I just kind of do what I do,” Watson says.

That formula has worked just fine so far for Watson, the former Clemson quarterback who will open camp on Wednesday with his new team, the Houston Texans, in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.

“I just listen to all the veteran guys,” Watson said. “I’ll keep an open mind and an open book.”

That’s not surprising considering Watson was well-known for taking copious notes throughout his career at Clemson, earning praise from coaches time and again for his preparation and attention to detail on a weekly basis.

Despite the fact that he could be the starting quarterback for a playoff-worthy team sooner rather than later, Watson enters camp with few preconceived notions and no expressed expectations other than to maximize his experience.

“I’ve been wishing I could do this for a long time, and now it’s finally here,” Watson said over the weekend. “So I’ll be enjoying every moment, cherishing every moment and taking it one thing at a time.”

Such an attitude has quickly endeared him to Houston’s coaches, including new assistant Wes Welker – a former five-time Pro Bowler who caught passes from two future Hall of Famers in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

Welker praised Watson’s “work ethic” and “demeanor” during an interview on Pro Football Talk Live.

“That’s pretty cool right there,” Watson said. “Wes is a great guy, great mentor, especially for the receivers, but also for me. He’s seen a lot, played a lot of football, experienced a lot.”

Watson already has one of the top-selling jerseys in the NFL and has yet to play a down for Houston, wherehe’ll be joined by three other former Tigers – defensive linemen Carlos Watkins and D.J. Reader and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

“It’s cool to keep the tradition going and have some Tigers on the same team,” Watson said.

Former Gamecocks Jadeveon Clowney and Johnathan Joseph also play for the Texans.

Watson also has received a good early vibe from the Houston community.

“There has been a lot of love, a lot of support,” Watson said. “It has been good so far, so I’m trying to keep it that way.”

This story was originally published July 24, 2017 at 8:02 PM.