TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn's
Zach Watkins has received a free-agent invitation to take part in the Minnesota Vikings rookie mini-camp this weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. Watkins will leave for the camp on Thursday and the camp will wrap up on Sunday.
Watkins, who was named six different All-American teams at Washburn including the 2009 AFCA All-American team and Daktronics and Football Gazette Second team squads after his senior season, finished his career as the Ichabods all-time leading tackler with 473 career total tackles which is third all-time in the NCAA Division II ranks. This past season he was named the MIAA's Most Valuable Defensive Player and the Region 4 Most Valuable Defensive Player. He led the MIAA in tackles this season with 111 tackles with 62 solo stops and 49 assisted tackles. Watkins was a four-year special teams standout as well handling deep snapping duties on both punts and placekicking attempts.
Watkins is looking to become the third Ichabod to land a roster spot joining Trey Lewis who was drafted in 2007 by the Atlanta Falcons and Cary Williams who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2008 and then joined the Baltimore Ravens midway through the 2009 season.
Zach Watkins career honors
• 2009 American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American
• 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics Second Team All-American
• 2008, 2009 Football Gazette Second Team All-American
• 2008, 2009 D2Football.com Honorable Mention All-American
• 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics Regional Defensive Player of the Year
• 2008, 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics First Team All-Region
• 2007 CoSIDA/Daktronics Second Team All-Region
• 2007, 2008, 2009 Football Gazette First Team All-Region
• 2010 Cactus Bowl Participant
• 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American
• 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District
• 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-District
• 2009 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year
• 2007, 2008, 2009 First Team All-MIAA
• 2006 Second Honorable Mention All-MIAA
• 2009 Ichabod Team Most Valuable Player
• 2006 MIAA Freshman of the Year
• 473 career tackles most all-time at WU, third in NCAA Division II history
• 228 solo tackles most all-time at WU … 245 assisted tackles second at WU
• Ranks in 13 defensive career top 10 categories
• Ranks in 18 defensive single season top 10 categories
As a junior in 2008: Led the Ichabods with 119 total tackles, which was second in the MIAA and 10th in the nation … he had 58 solo stops with 61 assisted tackles … named first team all-MIAA, Daktronics first team all-region, Don Hansen's Football Gazette first team all-region … earned All-American honors from the Football Gazette with second team honors and d2football.com honorable mention accolades … named the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Week following the Missouri Western game which he had 16 tackles with nine solo stops and two interceptions including the game clincher as time expired in the end zone … had a season-high 17 tackles against Northwest Missouri … led the MIAA with five interceptions … named the Ichabods' defensive most valuable player as well as the teams' overall MVP … equally as impressive in the classroom, he earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine first team academic all-district honors and second team Academic All-American honors … also named to MIAA's Scholar Athlete team and to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll … was Washburn's nominee for the Ken B. Jones Award for the MIAA's student athlete of the year award.
As a sophomore in 2007: Led the Ichabods with 143 total tackles, which is second on the Washburn single-season chart … his total included 64 solo tackles which ranks tied for eight at Washburn and 79 assisted tackles which is second in single-season history for the Ichabods … he recorded 20 tackles against Central Missouri with eight solo stops and two tackles for loss … twice named the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Week after recording 19 tackles with eight solo stops with a tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and a 29-yard interception return against Colorado Mines … his second conference POW award came against Pittsburg State after recording 12 tackles with a tackle for loss and an interception … he earned first team all-MIAA honors and was named Washburn's outstanding linebacker as well … he recorded double-digit tackles in eight games … earned second team Daktronics all-region honors and Football Gazette first team all-region honors … successful in the classroom as well as he was named to the MIAA's all-academic team and to the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll … also named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA all-academic all-district first team.
As a freshman in 2006: A second team Daktronics all-region pick after leading the MIAA and the Ichabods with 100 tackles including 44 solo stops … earned honorable mention all-MIAA honors … finished with 11 tackles for loss with two sacks … returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown against Emporia State and a fumble 72 yards for a touchdown against Northwest Missouri … the 2006 MIAA and Ichabod Freshman of the Year was named to MIAA's all-academic team … recorded a career-high 16 tackles against Missouri Southern tying him for the fifth highest single-game total since 1997 … named Ichabods' defensive skill player of the week after the Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern games.
