The Fort Worth All Saints product held several FBS offers before spending one season on the Forty Acres as a preferred walk on.
The first player to enter the NCAA transfer portal for the Texas Longhorns since the spring window opened on Wednesday is sophomore running back Reid Watkins, who spent one season on the Forty Acres as a walk on.
I have entered the transfer portal with 4 years of eligibility left.
5’11 195 RB@BHoward_11 @RivalsPortal @CoachBeck_PTF @MikeRoach247 @PeteNakos_ @TransferPortal_ pic.twitter.com/hjp9UrREu6— Reid watkins (@reidwatkins05) April 17, 2025
The Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal product didn’t receive any playing time in 2024 after flipping from Tulsa when he received his acceptance from Texas, joining the program as a preferred walk on.
The 5’11, 195-pounder also held offers from Bethune-Cookman, Brown, Colgate, Houston, Navy, New Mexico State, and Troy in addition to preferred walk-on opportunities at Rice, TCU, and UTSA.
A three-star prospect by On3 and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Watkins took advantage of the walk-on spot opened up by the transfer of running back Ky Woods, who transferred to Nevada to play for former Texas co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jeff Choate.
So although Watkins had other FBS offers and boasted a similar profile to other former walk ons who earned scholarships at Texas like linebackers Luke Brockermeyer and Jett Bush, the running back position didn’t offer that type of upside with the Longhorns. But don’t be surprised if Watkins gets an opportunity as a scholarship player at the FBS level.
Before transferring to All Saints from Brock, Watkins reported a 4.52 40-yard dash, 4.17 shuttle, and 35-inch vertical leap. As a senior at All Saints, Watkins recorded over 1,300 all-purpose yards — 894 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns and 218 receiving yards on 22 receptions.