Career Honors
2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
2023 Preseason All-SEC (PFF, LB)
2023 Preseason All-SEC (Media, 2nd team)
2022 Second Team All-SEC (LB: AP, Coaches')
2022 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll

Career Notes & Records
Has appeared in 46 career games with 28 starts … Finished second in the SEC in total tackles in 2022 (113) … He has 250 career tackles, 12.5 career sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles.

2023 (Graduate Season)
Has appeared in one game with one start ... SE Louisiana (9/2): Collected a career-high 1.5 sacks for a loss of 14 yards ... Led the team with eight tackles and a pass breakup ... Forced and recovered a fumble ... Eclipsed 250 career tackles.

2022 (Senior Season)
Appeared in 13 games with 12 starts ... Finished second on the team and second in the SEC with 113 tackles including a team-leading 12.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks ... Combined with teammate Jett Johnson as the only pair of Power 5 teammates to finish 1-2 in their respective conference in tackles ... One of three Power 5 duos to both have 100-plus tackles this season ... Had one interception, one pass breakup, and a forced fumble ... Memphis (9/3): Tallied four tackles including half for a loss in State’s season-opening win over Memphis ... at Arizona (9/10): Returned an interception 51 yards to the 11-yard line … Also tallied four tackles including one for a loss ... at LSU(9/17): Tied the team-high with 11 tackles including a sack … Also had a pass breakup ... Bowling Green (9/24): Notched a team-leading 10 tackles as well as a sack for a loss of five yards ... Texas A&M (10/1): Made six stops including a strip sack in the redzone ... Arkansas (10/8): Had six tackles in the win over the Razorbacks ... at Kentucky (10/15): Led the team with a career-high 17 tackles ... at Alabama (10/22): Collected a team-leading 10 tackles including a sack for a loss of nine yards ... Auburn (11/5): Totaled a team-leading 10 tackles including a tackle for loss ... Georgia (11/12): Led the team with 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss ... ETSU (11/19): Made four stops and split a tackle for a loss ... at Ole Miss (11/24): Tied the team lead with 10 tackles including a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss ... vs. Illinois (1/2): Recorded five stops including a sack.

2021 (Junior Season)
Appeared in 12 games, all starts … Finished second on the team with 84 total tackles and five sacks … Also added six tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and one pass deflection … Leading tackler in four games (Texas A&M, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss) … Louisiana Tech (9/4): Finished tied for second on the team with seven tackles and one quarterback hurry … NC State (9/11): Made five tackles, a half-tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry … LSU (9/25): Finished third on the team with six tackles and a half-tackle for loss … at No. 15 Texas A&M (10/2): Tied for the team lead with eight stops and one sack … No. 5 Alabama (10/16): Topped the team with 16 tackles and one sack … It was the most tackles by a Bulldog in a single game since 2011 … at Vanderbilt (10/23): Led the team with five tackles … No. 12 Kentucky (10/30): Finished third on the team with five tackles … at Arkansas (11/6): Registered six tackles and one sack … at No. 17 Auburn (11/13): Tallied three tackles … Tennessee State (11/20): Recorded three tackles and broke up a pass … No. 9 Ole Miss (11/25): Tied for the team lead with 14 tackles, including a sack … vs. Texas Tech (12/28): Made six tackles and one sack.

2020 (Sophomore Season)
Earned SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll ... Appeared in all 11 games with three starts ... One of 26 Bulldogs to make their first career start in 2020 ... Saw time on defense and special teams ... at LSU (9/26): Recorded three tackles ... at Kentucky (10/10): Logged three tackles and half a tackle for loss ... Part of a defense that allowed only 157 yards of total offense, the fewest yielded by the Bulldogs in an SEC contest since 2008 against Vanderbilt (107 yards) ... Texas A&M (10/17): Recorded one tackle ... at Alabama (10/31): Totaled one stop ... Vanderbilt (11/7): Finished with three tackles .... at Georgia (11/21): Made his first career start ... Recorded four tackles ... Logged 1.5 tackles for loss ... Added one pass breakup ... Part of a defense that tallied 11 tackles for loss ... Helped hold Georgia to eight yards rushing, the fewest yards allowed by State in an SEC game since at least 2006 ... at Ole Miss (11/28): Piled up eight tackles with seven solo stops ... Auburn (12/12): Logged three tackles ... Missouri (12/19): Tied for game-high with 13 tackles ... Logged a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter ... vs. Tulsa (12/31): Made one stop.

2019 (Redshirt Freshman Season)
Appeared in in seven games ... vs. Louisville (12/30): Totaled two stops … Made first career tackle for loss in the second quarter with a solo stop for a 1-yard loss.

2018 (True Freshman Season)
Appeared in two games … Redshirted his initial year with the program ... Stephen F. Austin (9/1): Made collegiate debut … Logged a pair of solo stops on defense in the final series of the game ... Louisiana Tech (11/3): Had one tackle.

High School
Prepped at Maplesville High School under head coach James Hubert … Three-star athlete per ESPN, Rivals and 247sports … Tabbed No. 15 recruit in Alabama by 247Sports … Played linebacker and wide receiver at MHS … Led Maplesville to three state championships during his prep career, including an undefeated season as a junior … As a senior, caught 45 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns … Added 500 yards on the ground for seven scores … Recorded 45 tackles with three interceptions … As a junior, caught 45 passes for 1,070 yards and 12 scores … Rushed for 376 yards and four scores … Owned 70 tackles … Made four interceptions with a pair returned for touchdowns … Competed in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Committed to MSU on August 17, 2017.

Personal
Born Nathaniel Watson on September 1, 2000 … Son of Irene Granson and Nathaniel Watson … Has four siblings – Edwin Pettway, Kanria Pettway, Tay-Tay Watson and Calors Grandison … Uncle, Harold Morrow, played fullback at Auburn University and in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings (1996-02), Baltimore Ravens (2003-04) and Arizona Cardinals (2005) … Nickname is “Bookie,” which he shares with his father … Graduated with his Masters in Workforce Education degree in Fall 2022 and his undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Fall 2021. … Twitter handle is @Nathaniel_ATH.