Armani Watts is only a junior at North Forney High School, but already he knows how it feels to be wanted. The standout three sport athlete has received multiple scholarship offers to play football in college, and earlier this month he decided that the right school for him is Texas A&M University. He gave them a verbal commitment to become a part of their 2014 recruitment class and intends to sign a letter of intent next February.
Watts, who also participates in track and basketball at North Forney, played no less than five positions for the NFHS Falcons this past football season. He starred on offense and defense, playing quarterback, receiver, kick returner, safety, and corner. He expects to play corner for the Aggies and possibly be used as a kick returner as well. Coach Lance Gary is the Falcons varsity head coach. He said, “Armani is such a great athlete that you could put him anywhere on the field and he would succeed.” Though Watts primarily played QB last season, Coach Gary says he won't be the QB next year, though he will still play “both sides of the football.” Watts and Gary share a common goal for next season; make the playoffs.
Watts, a soft spoken and well-mannered young man, who started playing football at age five, said that he chose A&M over schools such as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Clemson, Michigan, Texas Tech, Baylor, and others after his Junior Day visit to College Station and the A&M campus. “I went out there...and I enjoyed it. I liked the area, and the coaches made you feel at home and showed they cared about you. They didn't sugarcoat anything though, it's going to be hard work.”
Though Watts has high football aspirations such as helping the Aggies make a run for the National Championship and playing professional football someday, he intends to make the most of his Texas A&M education by majoring in Business Management. He is a solid student at North Forney High School and says his favorite subject is history.
The junior has the full support of the two people he described as his greatest role models, his mother and his grandmother. They wanted him to choose whichever school would make him happy. Watts said, “They help me with everything and they are always there to support me.” His football role model is NFL Safety Ed Reed, who recently left Watts favorite team, the Baltimore Ravens and will be playing for the Houston Texans. Reed is known for covering the whole field and obliterating receivers, Coach Gary says Watts also has the ability to cover the whole field and that he is a physical player that is “not scared to hit you.”
The coach also describes Armani Watts as a very humble young man that leads by example. “He carries himself very well,” said Coach Gary. He added, “He is a very smart young man, he understands the game, he has a good work ethic, and he has matured each of his first two varsity seasons. I expect he will continue to mature next season as well.” When asked how it will feel to play at Kyle Stadium in College Station, a stadium that holds over 80,000 fans, Watts grinned. “Just watching videos and highlight tapes, and hearing the fans, it gives me goosebumps,” he said.