Deshaun Watson: 'A slap in the face' if Trubisky drafted before me
Mitchell Trubisky is expected to be the first quarterback taken in the opening round of Thursday's NFL draft despite the fact he only started 13 games at North Carolina.
That lack of experience has caused a few people to question his rising draft stock, including fellow quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Clemson star said it would be "a slap in the face" if Trubisky were to be selected ahead of him given their college resumes, he told ESPN's Josina Anderson.
Watson is also projected to be a first-round selection, but if the two were being judged on college career's alone, Trubisky is nowhere near the same class as the national champion.
Here's how the quarterbacks compared last season, when Watson led Clemson to the national championship.
| Stat | Deshaun Watson | Mitchell Trubisky |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 4593 | 3748 |
| Completion Percentage | 67 | 68 |
| Passing TD | 41 | 30 |
| Interceptions | 17 | 6 |
| Rating | 151.1 | 157.9 |
| Rushing Yards | 629 | 308 |
| Rushing TD | 9 | 5 |
| Team Record | 14-1 | 8-5 |
Trubisky didn't start his first two seasons as a Tar Heel while Watson did at Clemson, so their stats aren't comparable in those campaigns. However, considering Trubisky couldn't crack the starting spot for North Carolina, it's important to note what Watson was doing while his counterpart was on the bench at his ACC rival.
| Stat | Deshaun Watson | Mitchell Trubisky |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 5575 | 1014 |
| Completion Percentage | 67.8 | 69.4 |
| Passing TD | 49 | 11 |
| Interceptions | 15 | 4 |
| Rushing Yards | 1305 | 131 |
| Rushing TD | 17 | 3 |
Watson also won back-to-back Davey O'Brien Awards as the nation's top quarterback, while Trubisky received no such honor. Adding in the Clemson star's back-to-back trips to the national championship game, it's easy to see why it would feel like "a slap in the face," should he fall in the draft.