Maraad Watson’s touchdown showed how far he has come at Texas

Maraad Watson made it 61 yards to the end zone. Steve Sarkisian kept talking about what happened once he got there.

After Watson returned a fumble for a touchdown in the 31-3 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, his teammates joined him for a dance in the end zone. Sarkisian showed the play to his team Monday. The response around Watson was part of what he wanted to recognize.

“What I loved about it was if you noticed his teammates when he scored, how many of them got to him to do his little dance in the end zone with him, and that’s the stuff you love as a coach,” Sarkisian said. “Maraad wasn’t beating his own chest when he got in the end zone. He turned and wanted to celebrate with his teammates, and so I think that speaks to who he is as a teammate, as a person, and he’s playing at a really high level.”

The junior defensive tackle transferred from Syracuse in spring 2025. Sarkisian remembers a reserved newcomer adjusting to a different city and program. Now he sees a player with a big personality who is playing better football, too.

“Who he is today is not who he was when he arrived,” Sarkisian said. “This guy is an awesome teammate. He’s got an infectious personality. He’s a fun-loving guy.

Watson arrived with experience, even if his introduction to the sport had come late. According to his Texas biography, he did not begin playing football until his sophomore year of high school. He played on both lines and spent his senior season at Irvington in New Jersey. By his first college season at Syracuse, he was earning national recognition.

In December 2024, Syracuse announced his selection to 247Sports’ True Freshman All-America team. At that point, the school said he led the nation’s freshman defensive tackles in snaps and ranked second among true freshman defensive linemen in Pro Football Focus’ run-defense grading.

After Watson entered the NCAA transfer portal ranked as the No. 6 defensive lineman, his recruitment moved quickly — Texas was the only visit he set up and Watson committed while he was on the Forty Acres as the Longhorns added a player who had already handled meaningful work inside.

His first season in Austin included 12 appearances and six starts and produced 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks. This fall, the production has continued: 19 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble through the Mississippi State game, according to Texas’ statistics. Saturday added a touchdown and three tackles, followed by his first SEC co-defensive lineman of the week honor Monday.

The touchdown mattered well beyond the novelty of watching a 333-pound lineman run with the ball.

Mississippi State had reached the Texas 34-yard line with the Longhorns leading 10-0 late in the second quarter. Linebacker Rasheem Biles sacked AJ Swann and knocked the ball loose. Watson recovered it and finished the return with 1:13 remaining. After the extra point, Texas had a 17-0 lead. Mississippi State had a chance to cut into the lead. Instead, Texas went up three scores.

“By the 15 I was getting tired,” Watson said afterward, according to The Associated Press. “I said to myself, ‘I have to make it.’”

Texas clocked the return at 8.9 seconds, the longest scoring play by a player weighing at least 325 pounds in school history. Sarkisian said Monday that Watson reached 16.1 mph.

“I’m slower than I thought I was,” Watson admitted.

The coach also noticed the way Watson carried the ball in his outside arm, leaving himself ready to stiff-arm a defender approaching from the inside, a moment Watson had prepared himself for by watching highlights of his favorite running back, Marshawn Lynch, before games.

Then came the teammates and the dance.

Watson’s return was the most visible play for a defense that held Mississippi State to 187 yards, including just 68 rushing yards, and 2.8 yards per play. Texas finished with seven sacks. Watson helped on the interior, then made the play that put points on the board.

Sarkisian credited defensive line coach Kenny Baker and the position group for Watson’s improvement from a year ago. The next opportunity comes Saturday at Missouri, with Texas carrying a 6-2 record and a 3-2 mark in SEC play into Columbia.

The touchdown gives Watson an easy reference point for how far he has come. The rest of his season will depend on the work between those moments. On Saturday, Texas got both: a defensive tackle doing his part inside and a finish that brought his teammates running after him.

Just don’t expect to see him on offense.

“No, we haven’t done that for Marad yet,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “I’d love for him to get another another scoop and score, though. That’d be a great Saturday.“