Jerald Watson was the first LSU commitment for the 2004 recruiting class.
But he became the first LSU recruit to defect when he announced Jan. 18 that he will take his services to Auburn.
Rivals.com rated Watson the No. 8 all-purpose running back in the 2004 recruiting class.
In three seasons at Central Catholic in Morgan City, La., Watson rushed for 5,100 yards.
Because of the emergence of freshmen running backs Justin Vincent and Alley Broussard for the Tigers, along with the continued service of junior Joseph Addai, Watson decided Auburn would give him a better opportunity to play.
“I heard a lot of things [from Auburn] that LSU couldn’t offer me,” Watson said. “For my better interest, I had to be selfish in this situation, and take that opportunity of going in there and being an impact player right away as a freshman. I don’t think I could have done that right away at LSU, because of how deep they are – that’s a lot of great athletes [at LSU].”
Watson said Auburn coaches and players told him he could be a third-down back next season as well as a kick returner and punt returner. Watson will likely play behind Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown in his first season.
“Cadillac and Ronnie are awesome tailbacks,” Watson said. “I realize and I knew going into it that these guys were probably going to stay at Auburn, and I’m looking forward to running behind them and learning everything they know. These guys are willing to help me out in every possible way, and they’re supportive to me. I’m looking forward to learning everything they know about the game, and boosting up my game to become a possible starter in my sophomore year.”
Watson said playing in the Southeastern Conference was a priority, along with staying near his family.
Of the four schools he considered, three were in the SEC.
Watson said his parents are 100 percent behind his decision to attend Auburn. But he said the decision was his own to make.
“All I needed was support from [my parents] and my coaches and everybody close to me, and they gave me support,” Watson said. “It was a decision I made on my own. After I made it, [my mom] was the first person I called. They accepted it.
Watson said he would have loved to see himself play at LSU, but now is excited about the opportunity to play against the Tigers.
“The atmosphere [at LSU] is unbelievable,” Watson said. “Of course, LSU is the loudest stadium in the country – I’ll give them that – and the people there are freaking awesome. But Auburn is a great place. I envision seeing myself playing against LSU. That’s something I want to do now; I’m pumped up to do that.”