Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#88
Maraad Watson
Junior defensive lineman for Texas. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 333 lb · Irvington, NJ · Irvington
CFB Index 31 · #321 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Texas for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 1 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Texas State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman for Texas. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Syracuse in 2024.
- Transferred from Syracuse to Texas in 2025.
- UMass ends 16-game losing streak (Sep 4) Reported
Maraad Watson
Controls the point of attack and doesn't move. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles, 1 sacks against Texas State, Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
202410 games
- Signed with Syracuse3-star out of Irvington
202510 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Texas
Played his entire career under Steve Sarkisian.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Syracuse10-3HC: Fran Brown · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2025Texas10-3HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
2026Texas2-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
31 · #321 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #321 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #50 of 60 SEC DLs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Game log
How he plays
Play style
The heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Texas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Texas
Returning around him
- 6 Texas players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (22 in / 28 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas · Last season: 10-3 (AP #14) · Talent rank #2 · 2026 recruiting class #7
DNA match
Player DNA
Nose Anchor
The heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Christian Lorenzo’s 2024 season.
77%match
Matches Christian on
Height
TFL rate
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to T.J. Sanders's sophomore season at South Carolina (2022).
68%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 9
Matches T.J. on
Sack rate
Height
Weight
Differs from T.J. on
Class year (lower)
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Maraad Watson
Background
A second-year defensive lineman who transferred to Texas from Syracuse in spring 2025 … has played in 25 career games with 14 starts ... named to the 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll ... played in 13 games with 11 starts at Syracuse as a true freshman. SOPHOMORE (2025) Appeared in 12 ga...
The defensive line · Texas
- #1Colin Simmons15.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #93Hero Kanu4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Ian Geffrard4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #19Zina Umeozulu3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #88Maraad Watson2 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology