Sammy Watkins turning heads already at Buffalo Bills camp

By Cory Buck | Jul 22, 2014

Jul 21, 2014; Pittsford, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) makes a catch during training camp at St John Fisher College. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Sammy Watkins came to Buffalo with high expectations padded by the usual understanding that rookie wide receivers take a little while to mature. Few first year receivers establish themselves as their team’s top option right from the get-go. Then again, few receivers possess the talent and temerity of Sammy Watkins.

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“I told Andre Reed, ‘You’re going in (the Hall of Fame), so just pass the torch to Sammy before you do,'” Bills general manager Doug Whaley told FOX Sports after another training camp practice in which Watkins took veteran cornerback Leodis McKelvin to school. Per the article:

"During Monday’s practice, Watkins showed that ability to grow bigger than his frame when he went up to grab a pass between three defenders. They all pinballed off him and fell to the ground. Watkins did as well, but only because he’d been poked in the eye. He staggered off to the cheers and then returned to practice, intent on further honing his route-running on this muggy, mid-June day."

“I’ve got the playbook down already,” Watkins said. “It’s just being consistent, knowing the little details to things and just really working against the defense, seeing things faster and doing the right things when you’re tired. When you get tired, that’s when you stop thinking, but once I get in shape, really know defenses and really start watching film, it’ll be better for me.”

Watkins entered the 2014 NFL draft as the top skill player available and the top player overall on Buffalo’s board. They put their money where their mouth was when they traded two picks in the 2015 draft and their own top pick in the 2014 draft for the right to draft Sammy Watkins. Many panned the move as a desperate overpayment by a club 14 years removed from the playoffs. Early results have indicated that GM Doug Whaley may have been onto something.

“We firmly believe he plays bigger than his size,” Whaley concluded. “We’re comfortable with that and we think he’ll steadily improve and by Day 1 will be ‘The Guy’.”

Expect Watkins to slot in as the first wide receiver on the team by Week 1 of the NFL season. From there, it’s up to him and EJ Manuel to lead this offense back to prominence.

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