Ryan Watts Bio
Ryan Watts is an American former professional football cornerback who was born on November 7, 2001, in Little Elm, Texas. He played collegiate football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2024 NFL Draft. Watts faced a challenging professional career, dealing with injuries that ultimately led to his release from the Steelers in 2025 due to a likely career-ending neck injury.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Watts grew up in Little Elm, Texas, where he attended Little Elm High School. During his high school career, Watts established himself as a highly regarded defensive prospect. He was ranked as the number 29 cornerback and number 341 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports, demonstrating his status as one of the top defensive backs in his class.
Watts’ success at Little Elm High School attracted attention from major college programs across the country. His combination of size, speed, and ball skills made him an attractive recruit for programs seeking to strengthen their defensive backfields.
Path to the NFL
Following his standout high school career, Watts committed to play college football at Ohio State University, one of the premier programs for developing NFL cornerbacks. The Buckeyes have a strong tradition of sending defensive backs to the professional ranks, making Ohio State an ideal destination for Watts’ collegiate career.
After two seasons with the Buckeyes, Watts entered the transfer portal and chose to continue his college career at the University of Texas at Austin. The move to Texas represented an opportunity for Watts to take on a larger role in a different defensive scheme while playing for another storied program with national championship aspirations.
Ryan Watts Career
Ohio State Buckeyes (2020–2021)
Watts began his collegiate career at Ohio State in 2020. As a freshman with the Buckeyes, he appeared in three games and recorded five tackles while learning behind experienced cornerbacks in one of college football’s most competitive defensive backfields.
His sophomore season in 2021 proved to be a breakthrough. Watts recorded his first career interception in week five against Rutgers, marking a turning point in his development. He followed that performance with another interception the following week against Maryland, showcasing his ability to make plays on the ball. Watts finished the 2021 season with six tackles and two interceptions, demonstrating his growth as a playmaker in the secondary.
Texas Longhorns (2022–2023)
Watts transferred to the University of Texas in 2022, joining a Longhorns program in transition to the SEC. In his first season with Texas, he made an immediate impact. Watts recorded his first interception as a Longhorn in week eight of the 2022 season, though Texas fell to Oklahoma State in that game.
He delivered a standout 2022 campaign, finishing with 51 tackles including four tackles for loss, one sack, three pass deflections, and an interception. His all-around performance earned him recognition as an All-Big 12 honorable mention, validating his decision to transfer and demonstrating his ability to contribute at a high level in a major conference.
Professional Career
Watts entered the 2024 NFL Draft with four years of collegiate experience at two premier programs. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with the 195th overall pick in the sixth round, adding him to their defensive backfield. He wore number 29 for the Steelers and stood at 6 feet 3 inches and 212 pounds, giving him the size coaches look for in a boundary cornerback.
Watts’ rookie season was cut short by injury. He was placed on injured reserve on August 27, 2024, before the regular season began. On April 28, 2025, after consultation with doctors and Steelers staff, Watts was released due to a likely career-ending neck injury sustained during the 2024 NFL preseason. He subsequently announced his medical retirement from football.
Playing Style and Strengths
Watts possessed the prototypical length and size NFL teams seek in cornerbacks, standing over 6 feet 3 inches with solid bulk for the position. His collegiate career at Ohio State and Texas exposed him to diverse defensive schemes and high-level competition, preparing him for the demands of professional football. His ability to play the ball in the air was evident in his interception totals, particularly during his productive 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Career-Ending Injury
Despite the promise shown during his collegiate career and draft selection by a storied franchise, Watts’ professional career was tragically cut short by injury. The neck injury sustained during the 2024 NFL preseason led to his medical retirement before he could appear in a regular-season game. The Steelers’ decision to release him in consultation with medical professionals reflected the severity of his condition.
Ryan Watts Career Statistics
Watts recorded meaningful statistics during his four years of collegiate football across two programs. His interception production demonstrated his ball skills, while his tackle numbers at Texas showed his ability to contribute against the run.
College Statistics
At Ohio State, Watts appeared in limited duty during his freshman year before becoming more involved as a sophomore. He totaled two interceptions across his Buckeyes career, both coming during an impressive 2021 season. At Texas, he assumed a more significant role in the defense, leading to substantially higher tackle numbers and recognition from the Big 12 conference.
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Pass Deflections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Ohio State | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Ohio State | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | Texas | 51 | 1 | 3 |
Ryan Watts Family
Public information regarding Ryan Watts’ family background, parents, or siblings is not extensively documented in available sources. Watts maintains a presence on social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram, where he has connected with fans throughout his football career.
Personal Life
Watts hails from Little Elm, Texas, where he completed his high school education before embarking on his collegiate football journey. Following his retirement announcement, Watts faced the transition away from football, a game he had played since youth. His focus has shifted toward recovery and adjusting to life after his playing career concluded prematurely due to injury.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a significant transition year for Ryan Watts, though not on the field. After being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in April 2025 due to a neck injury sustained during the 2024 preseason, Watts faced the difficult reality that his professional football career had come to an end before it truly began.
His medical retirement was the result of extensive consultation with doctors and Steelers medical staff, all of whom determined that continuing to play football would pose unacceptable risks given the nature of his injury. The Steelers organization supported Watts throughout the process, culminating in his release and subsequent retirement announcement.
While Watts did not participate in the 2025 NFL season, his story represents the challenging realities professional athletes sometimes face when injuries cut careers short. His journey from Little Elm, Texas, through Ohio State, Texas, and ultimately to the Steelers before his medical retirement, demonstrates both his talent and the unfortunate circumstances that ended his playing career.