William Watson III
Quarterback, Class of 2023
Springfield Central, Springfield, MA
6-0, 175

Though Springfield Central (Mass.) three-star quarterback William ‘Pop’ Watson committed to Nebraska in February, he wasn’t set with that decision most of the fall. The Huskers’ firing of Scott Frost in September left the status of offensive coordinator Mark Whipple up in the air. Watson had given his pledge largely because of Whipple.

It wasn’t long after that Virginia Tech reached out and got Watson to unofficially visit Oct. 15 for their game against Miami. He was back in Blacksburg last weekend for an official visit and flipped his commitment to the Hokies just before he departed. After an all-star game appearance this weekend, Watson said he’ll then shift his focus squarely to Virginia Tech.

“I would say it was the coaches,” Watson said of his decision. “They were so persistent, and they just showed a lot of effort in my recruitment even when I was committed to Nebraska. They were just persistent. They text me every weekend, sent mail every week, and that just meant a lot to me.”

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