Northwestern football’s Tamarion Watkins, elite safety, makes college choice
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- Tamarion Watkins, top SC recruit, commits to Texas A&M over in-state programs.
- Watkins led Northwestern to a 14-0 record with 75 tackles and strong leadership.
- Family cited Texas A&M culture and strong ties with coaches in decision process.
Tamarion Watkins is heading west.
The star safety and linebacker at Northwestern High School — considered the seventh-ranked recruit in South Carolina — committed to Texas A&M on Monday afternoon, choosing the Aggies over South Carolina, Georgia, Texas A&M and Miami.
Watkins made the announcement during a ceremony inside the school’s auditorium, seated alongside his family with a crowd of fellow teammates, students and relatives in attendance.
“We are repeating — we do not rebuild, we reload — so we’re going back-to-back,” Watkins said of the Trojans’ upcoming season. “It’s very exciting to me. I get to rebrand myself a little more, step outside of my box. The coaching staff is great, coach (Mike) Elko has a great thing building up in Aggie Land, and I’m just ready to be a part of it.”
A love for Texas A&M
Watkins’ family has long been impressed with the community in College Station.
He and his father, Martrell Herndon, visited Texas A&M last October for the Aggies’ game against LSU. A&M won convincingly — despite rotating quarterbacks — and the environment left a lasting impression.
Herndon, who grew up attending Carolina Panthers games in uptown Charlotte, said the noise at Kyle Field that night might’ve been the loudest sports environment he’d experienced. The campus atmosphere and how the community rallies around the Aggies made the choice feel right for Watkins.
The family also developed a strong relationship with Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who previously served as North Carolina’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2019 to 2021.
“It’s a tribute to his hard work — being able to be recognized, identified not only locally, regionally, but nationally with Texas A&M,” Herndon said of his son.
“Coach Jay Bateman, not only is he a defensive coordinator, but he also became a friend of mine during this process. I’m trusting him with one of my most valuable assets — my son — and he does a great job with his family there.”
‘Top 1% of players we’ve ever had’
A four-star recruit in the Class of 2026, Watkins holds a 3.9 GPA and plans to study business, finance or chemical engineering.
The 6-foot-4 athlete was a cornerstone of Northwestern’s dominant defense last season, recording 75 tackles — second-most on the team — as the Trojans powered through a perfect 14-0 campaign to win the school’s sixth South Carolina state championship. He averaged 5.4 tackles per game and logged 8.0 tackles for loss, constantly disrupting opposing offenses.
Watkins stood out from the beginning. As a freshman, he held his own in one-on-one drills against senior wide receivers. And he never stopped developing — always coachable, mature and focused on team success.
His teammates follow him.
In meetings and on the field, Watkins leads by example. He’s doesn’t talk about “I” or “me” — only what he can do to make the team better.
“It’s invaluable,” Northwestern head coach Page Wofford said. “He’s from Rock Hill, came up through the Rock Hill system. He’s not at a school where we’re trying to replace him with kids from out of town.
“He’s at Northwestern, where we’re trying to help our kids become the best players they can be. His humility and what he’s brought to the program has been right up there in the top 1% of players we’ve ever had.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM.
