T.J. Watt will join his brothers in the NFL.
The Wisconsin linebacker, the younger brother of Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt, announced Tuesday on Twitter that he will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2017 NFL draft.
Once A Badger, Always A Badger. #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/YbKjJoHfWM
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) January 3, 2017
The younger Watt established himself as one of the best pass-rushers in the Big Ten this season, leading the Badgers with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. He also had 63 tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles this season for the Big Ten West champions.
Watt played sparingly before breaking out this year as a redshirt junior as an outside backer in Wisconsin’s 3-4 defense. He redshirted his first year on campus and then missed the 2014 campaign due to injury. In 2015, he played in all 13 games but had just eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
T.J., an expected second- or third-round pick, will be the third Watt brother to play in the NFL. J.J., of course, is a three-time NFL defensive player of the year. Derek Watt, a fullback for the San Diego Chargers, was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. All three Watt brothers played for the Badgers.
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Wisconsin is awaiting a draft decision from one other junior, tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Ramczyk told reporters last week he received a first-round grade from the NFL Advisory Board, but an upcoming hip surgery complicates his decision. The hip issue would likely prevent the 6-foot-6, 314-pound Ramczyk from working out for teams leading up to the April draft.
On Monday, Wisconsin concluded its season out with a win over Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl. The Badgers finished with an 11-3 record.
For more Wisconsin news, visit BadgerBlitz.com.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
